20021012026949I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Beech J35 · Salida, CO · October 12, 2002

Date: October 12, 2002 · 13:00 local
Place: Salida, CO
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N8390D
Reported as: Beech J35
Reported engine: Continental IO470*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total60 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N8390DRegistered now · Beech J35S/N D-5504 · Built 1958 Airframe modelBeech J35 Engine modelContinental I0-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Mr. Dewey, while switcing from an aux fuel tank to the main tank, had the engine shut down due to fuel starvation. He made an emergency landing on runway 285 in Colorado, and during the landing phase struck a highway sign with the wing tip. An A&P mechanic was hired to make repairs and check the fuel system for a causal factor. It was determined that either ice had formed in the fuel transfer valve or a vapor lock had occurred. The mechanic and a highway patrol officer verified that the right main fuel tank was full. After repairs on the wing tip were completed and signed off and aviation fuel was purchased, the highway patrol officer blocked off 8000' of highway and Mr. Dewey departed and continued to his original destination. The highway patrol officer coordinated everything with roc in seattle.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. DEWEY, WHILE SWITCING FROM AN AUX FUEL TANK TO THE MAIN TANK, HAD THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON RUNWAY 285 IN COLORADO, AND DURING THE LANDING PHASE STRUCK A HIGHWAY SIGN WITH THE WING TIP. AN A&P MECHANIC WAS HIRED TO MAKE REPAIRS AND CHECK THE FUEL SYSTEM FOR A CAUSAL FACTOR. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EITHER ICE HAD FORMED IN THE FUEL TRANSFER VALVE OR A VAPOR LOCK HAD OCCURRED. THE MECHANIC AND A HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER VERIFIED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS FULL. AFTER REPAIRS ON THE WING TIP WERE COMPLETED AND SIGNED OFF AND AVIATION FUEL WAS PURCHASED, THE HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER BLOCKED OFF 8000' OF HIGHWAY AND MR. DEWEY DEPARTED AND CONTINUED TO HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION. THE HIGHWAY PATROL OFFICER COORDINATED EVERYTHING WITH ROC IN SEATTLE.