20010704017909A

(.19)On July 4, 2001, about 1045 hours pacific daylight time, a Beech 35A, N699B, collided with ground obstacles during an off field forced landing following a loss of engine power 2 miles east of Linden, California. The pilot/co-owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; however, the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed stockton, California, about 1015. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated he wanted to inspect his property about 30 miles north of Linden that was in the vicinity of a fire. The flight up to the location was uneventful, and he was in contact with the stockton air traffic control tower (ATCT) as he prepared to enter the landing pattern on the return leg. He had been cruising at 2,500 feet, with a power setting of 2,150 RPM and less than 22 inches of manifold pressure. He had been operating on the auxiliary tip tanks. He said the airplane began slowing as he maintained altitude and he detected a loss of engine power. He switched to the left main tank, which held about 25 gallons of fuel. He noted the RPM remained steady at 1,100. He selected the full rich position with the mixture control and cycled the ignition switch. The engine did not respond so the pilot declared an emergency with the ATCT. He set up for a left traffic pattern on a dirt road. He landed successfully on the road, but the right wing tip collided with a fence post. The airplane departed the road to the right and continued through the fence until it came to rest. The nose gear and right main gear collapsed; the right wing sustained substantial damage. (-23)on July 4, 2001, Mr. Potter (PIC) departed stocton airport eastward to overfly his property located east of Linden. After attaining cruise altitude and speed the aircraft engine RPM reduced to idle. PIC was unable to increase RPM through the use of throttle, and or mixture controls. In order to make a upwind landing on a private paved road, the PIC touchdown at the crest of a small hill. Shortly upon thouchdown on the pavement the right wing contacted a wooden fence post approximately 2'5" inboard formt he right wingtip. This caused the aircraft to depart the road to the right and tow ard a field that was approximately 4' lower than the road. As the aircraft departed tge road, the bottom of the aircraft came in contact with metal fence posts causing damage to the bottom of the aircraft. The aircraft landed sideways and skided approximately 40 feet at which time the right main landing gear collapsed and the nose gear strut broke in two. Damage to the aircraft uncludes right wing; from spar broken approximately 2'5" from wingtip tank. Left wing; damage to the leading edge of the wing was damaged approximately 4'8" from the wing tip fuel tank. Bottom of fuselage was damaged due to contact with tops metal fence posts causing creases and several tears to the skin. Propeller tips were bent aft from contact witht he ground. Ran engine at plane parts, pleasenton, CA with the following results. Throttle and mixture cable integrity was verified by operation of the controls. Cables hit both stops when operated. Started engine and obtained oil pressure. Magnetos were checked at 1700 RPM no issues noted. Engine was increase to 2500 RPM with no problems. Cable movement was operating up to the controller but without movement from the propeller. Terminated the engi NE run. (.4) on July 4, 2001, about 1045 pacific daylight time, a Beech 35A, N699B, made an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power 2 miles east of Linden, California. The pilot/co-owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed stockton, California, about 1015, and was returning to stockton, the airplane's home field, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated he wanted to inspect property he owned about 30 miles north of Linden that was in the vicinity of a brush fire. The flight up was uneventful and he was in contact with the stockton air traffic control tower (ATCT) as he prepared to enter the landing pattern. He had been operating on the auxiliary tip tanks while in cruise at 2,500 feet at a power setting of 2,150 RPM and less than 22 inches of manifold pressure. He said the airplane began slowing as he maintained altitude when he detected a loss of eng ine power. He switched to the left main tank, which held about 25 gallons of fuel. He noted the engine speed remained steady at 1,100 RPM. He selected the full rich position of the mixture control and cycled the ignition switch. The engine did not respond so he declared an emergency with the ATCT. He set up for a left traffic pattern on a dirt road. He landed successfully on the road, but the right wing tip collided with a fence post. The airplane departed the road to the right and continued through the fence until it came to rest. The nose gear and right main gear collapsed; the right wing sustained substantial damage. The federal aviation administration (FAA) accident coordinator inspected the wreckage on scene on July 6. He inspected the throttle and mixture linkages and observed them operate through their full range of travel. He did not observe any slippage of the cables. He did not observe fuel in the line to the carburetor when he disconnected it. However, he did observed fuel flow when the pilot operated the fuel pump. He observed fuel in each tank. On July 26, 2001, the safety board investigator, the FAA accident coordinator, and a representative from teledyne Continental motors inspected the airplane at the facilities of plain parts, the recovery agent, in pleasant grove, California. The wings had been removed in the recovery process. The recovery agent plumbed a fuel can into the left wing supply line. The agent started the engine and let it run at idle power. He advanced the engine to 1,700 RPM and completed a magneto check and the investigator noted a 200 RPM drop on both magnetos. The engine ran smoothly throughout the check. The agent attempted to cycle the propeller, but it did not respond. He advanced the engine to 2,300 RPM, and the investigator noted all instruments remained within the green operating bands marked on the instrument's faces. Power was reduced to idle; the engine idled smoothly and engine shutdown was unremarkable. The investigator noted that the engine ran smoothly and remained at selected power settings during this testing.