# Accident 19991128035089A: Beech 35BEECH, Stillwater, OK, November 28, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 28, 1999, 09:08 local time - Place: Stillwater, OK - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 36.0802° N, 97.0698° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0802&lon=-97.0698&mi=10 - Aircraft: N444D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444D-2018-01-23) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech 35 (registry code 1151502, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 35BEECH - Reported engine: CONT E1858 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 7 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW00LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA038) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991128035089A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 28, 1999, AT 1108 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECH BE35 AIRPLANE, N444D, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER NEAR STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND HIS PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE STILLWATER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND WAS DESTINED FOR BLACKWELL, OKLAHOMA. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S SPOUSE, THE PILOT REPORTED LOSING ENGINE POWER SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE STILLWATER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR, WHO VISITED THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 35 YARDS SOUTH OF THE INITIAL GROUND SCAR, FACING A MAGNETIC HEADING OF 210 DEGREES. THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED THAT ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS UNDAMGED AND THE OTHER WAS BENT AFT 90 DEGREES. THE RIGHT WING, EMPENNAGE, AND CABIN AREA SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY, AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND 3/4 FULL OF FUEL. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, AND THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO INDICATE THE QUANTITY IN THE LEFT TANK. (.4) DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB, WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 1,600 FEET AGL, AND SHORTLY AFTER THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE ENGINE POWER FOR CRUISE CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE, MIXTURE, AND PROPELLER CONTROLS, SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, AND MANUALLY PUMPED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP. ENGINE POWER WAS NOT RESTORED. DURING THE ENSUING FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED HILLY TERRAIN. A TEST FLOW OF THE PRESSURE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT IT WOULD NOT FLOW WITHIN ITS SPECIFIED LIMITS. DISASSEMBLY OF THE PRESSURE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT A FEW OF THE DIAPHRAGMS WERE DRY ROTTED, HARDENED, AND FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIR SECTION OF THE DISCHARGE DIAPHRAGM. THE MANUFACTURE DATES STAMPED ON THE FUEL AND AIR DIAPHRAGMS OF THE REGULATOR SECTION OF THE CARBURETOR WERE OCTOBER 1958 AND NOVEMBER 1953 RESPECTIVELY. IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHEN THE CARBURETOR HAD LAST BEEN OVERHAULED. ## 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 FTW00LA038](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA038), Nov 28, 1999: Beech BE35 (N444D), Stillwater, OK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to the dry-rotted diaphragms in the pressure carburetor. A factor was the hilly terrain encountered during the forced landing. ## Other reports on N444D (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Accident 19831215070819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19831215070819A), Dec 15, 1983: Beech 35BEECH (N444D), Lake City, FL, Substantial damage. Nose wheel collapsed during landing. Failure of landing gear extension system caused collapse. - [Incident 19801103086979I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19801103086979I), Nov 3, 1980: Beech 35BEECH (N444D), Ft Myers, FL, Minor damage. Aircraft brake was weak, after starting it rolled into parked aircraft. 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.