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20030429008699I

Incident
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FAA incident report · Beech B35 · Westerly, RI · April 29, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 29, 2003 · 13:15 local
Place
Westerly, RI
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Aircraft
N5260C
Reported as
Beech B35
Reported engine
Continental E185*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
4,700 total800 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days
N5260CRegistered now · Beech B35S/N D-2652 · Built 1950Airframe modelBeech B35Engine modelContinental E185 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) At approximately 1100, 4/29/03, I flew B-35 bonanza N5260C to Westerly with jim warcup. I flew left seat and demonstrated normal operating procedures and knobology as jim is new to the unit. I landed 5260C at wst and changed seats. Jim warcup took off and landed at wst rwy 25. We departed wst airport at approximately 1300. At 700 ft climbout with a left turn toward the south east, the aircraft engine lost power. Jim continued to fly the aircraft and I attempted engine restarts, switched fuel selector to left tank. The prop continued to rotate at approximately 1500 RPM. We both smelled aviation fuel and agreed that the Beech shoreline was preferable to attempting to glide across the causeway to a golf course. The aircraft rolled to a stop on hard packed sand, as the tide was out. The aircraft was secured. There were no leaks observed and the aircraft appeared to be undamaged. The aircraft was towed to a beach parking lot for inspection by FAA safety inspectors and by aircraft mechanics on April 30, 2003. An airport police guard was posted to insure security of the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1100, 4/29/03, I FLEW B-35 BONANZA N5260C TO WESTERLY WITH JIM WARCUP. I FLEW LEFT SEAT AND DEMONSTRATED NORMAL OPERATING PROCEDURES AND KNOBOLOGY AS JIM IS NEW TO THE UNIT. I LANDED 5260C AT WST AND CHANGED SEATS. JIM WARCUP TOOK OFF AND LANDED AT WST RWY 25. WE DEPARTED WST AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1300. AT 700 FT CLIMBOUT WITH A LEFT TURN TOWARD THE SOUTH EAST, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. JIM CONTINUED TO FLY THE AIRCRAFT AND I ATTEMPTED ENGINE RESTARTS, SWITCHED FUEL SELECTOR TO LEFT TANK. THE PROP CONTINUED TO ROTATE AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 RPM. WE BOTH SMELLED AVIATION FUEL AND AGREED THAT THE BEECH SHORELINE WAS PREFERABLE TO ATTEMPTING TO GLIDE ACROSS THE CAUSEWAY TO A GOLF COURSE. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO A STOP ON HARD PACKED SAND, AS THE TIDE WAS OUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SECURED. THERE WERE NO LEAKS OBSERVED AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE UNDAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO A BEACH PARKING LOT FOR INSPECTION BY FAA SAFETY INSPECTORS AND BY AIRCRAFT MECHANICS ON APRIL 30, 2003. AN AIRPORT POLICE GUARD WAS POSTED TO INSURE SECURITY OF THE AIRCRAFT.