# Accident 20021031032249A: Beech F33A, Fernandina Beac, FL, October 31, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 31, 2002, 14:50 local time
- Place: Fernandina Beac, FL
- Airport: Fernandina Beach Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.6117° N, 81.4622° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6117&lon=-81.4622&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3122K, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3122K-2013-07-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech F33A (registry code 1151425, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH F33A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA012) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021031032249A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) DURING TEST FLIGHT, AFTER MAINTENANCE, FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH MAGNETOS AND A STAND-BY ALTERNATOR, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET MSL. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE ENGINE POWER, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO AIRPORT, HOWEVER CRASH LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY 22 IN WOODED AREA. UPON IMPACT AIRCRAFT CAUGHT FIRE, THE SECOND PILOT ESCAPED AND PULLED THE PILOT FROM THE AIRCRAFT TO SAFETY. THE SECOND PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES WAS TREATED AND RELEASED, THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURY AND DIED FROM HEART FAILURE WHILE UNDERGOING TREATMENT. FAA ON SCENE INVESTIGATOR FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF IN-FLIGHT FIRE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF PROPELLER BLADES INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER AT TIME OF IMPACT. DURING ENGINE INSPECTION, NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND, THAT COULD BE USED TO DETERMINE THE LOSS OF POWER. NO FUEL WAS FOUND AT THE FUEL DISTRIBUTION UNIT. UPON REQUEST OF THE NTSB, THE ENGINE HAS BEEN SENT TO CONTINENTAL MOTORS FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION UNDER SUPERVISION OF NTSB.

## 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 ATL03LA012](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA012), Oct 31, 2002: Beech F33A (N3122K), Fernandina Bch, FL, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: Water contamination in the fuel system which resulted in the loss of engine power and the subsequent collision with trees.

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.