# Accident 19990925032309A: Beech C35BEECH, Lone Grove, OK, September 25, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: September 25, 1999, 16:30 local time - Place: Lone Grove, OK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 34.1795° N, 97.2691° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1795&lon=-97.2691&mi=10 - Aircraft: N5818C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5818C) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech C35 (registry code 1151508, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c35) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E225 series (registry code 17015, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e225-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH C35BEECH - Reported engine: CONT E2258 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 240 total, 240 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA266) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990925032309A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON SEPTEMBER 25, 1999, AT 1719 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH C35 AIRPLANE, N5818C, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING TAKEOFF ROLL FROM A FIELD NEAR LONE GROVE, OKLAHOMA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED, AND HIS THREE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE MCGEHEE CATFISH RESTAURANT AIRPORT, MARIETTA, OKLAHOMA, AT 1700, WITH THE HALLIBURTON FIELD AIRPORT NEAR DUNCAN, OKLAHOMA, AS ITS INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, WHILE EN ROUTE TO DUNCAN, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN ATTEMPT TO SELECT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND RESTART THE ENGINE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, AND A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE PILOT FURTHER REPORTED THAT AFTER SELECTING THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND STARTING THE ENGINE, HE ATTEMPTED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, THE PILOT HAD ATTEMPTED AN UPHILL TAKEOFF ON A HEADING OF 030 DEGREES WITH WEEDS APPROXIMATELY 18 INCHES TALL. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED UPHILL 165 YARDS THROUGH THE WEEDS, STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE, CONTINUED 70 YARDS AND STRUCK ANOTHER FENCE. THE AIRPLANE THEN TRAVELED 35 YARDS TO A RAVINE, CROSSED OVER THE 45-FOOT WIDE RAVINE AND CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 35 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST UPRIGHT ON A HEADING OF 330 DEGREES. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE FAA INSPECTOR REVEALED THAT THE LEFT WING WAS STRUCTURALLY DAMAGED, THE FUSELAGE WAS BUCKLED JUST AFT OF THE WINGS, AND BOTH PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS FOLDED AFT, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS TWISTED OUTWARD, AND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT BOTH WING FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. AT 1650, 29 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND AT THE ARDMORE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LOCATED ABOUT 8 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, WAS FROM 130 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. (-23)FTW99LA266 (.4)DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR POSITIONED TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN ATTEMPT TO SELECT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND RESTART THE ENGINE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL, AND A SUCCESSFUL FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD WAS ACCOMPLISHED. AFTER THE PILOT SELECTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK AND STARTED THE ENGINE, HE ATTEMPTED A SHORT FIELD DOWNWIND TAKEOFF UPHILL IN 18-INCH TALL WEEDS; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE 'COULD NOT GAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO KEEP FLYING.' THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED UPHILL 165 YARDS, STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE, CONTINUED 70 YARDS AND STRUCK ANOTHER FENCE. THE AIRPLANE THEN TRAVELED 35 YARDS TO A RAVINE, CROSSED OVER THE 45-FOOT WIDE RAVINE AND CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER 25 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO A STOP UPRIGHT. THE PILOT'S TAKEOFF HEADING WAS 030 DEGREES, AND THE WIND WAS FROM 130 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB FTW99LA266](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99LA266), Sep 25, 1999: Beech C35 (N5818C), Lone Grove, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable takeoff area. Factors were the fences struck during the takeoff, the tall grass, rising terrain, and a tailwind. ## Other reports on N5818C (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19930207015009I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930207015009I), Feb 7, 1993: Beech C35BEECH (N5818C), Pinedale, WY, Minor damage. Gear collapsed on landing rollout. Found landing gear down limit switch assembly came out of rig. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.