# Accident 20030718036109A: Beech 35A33, Fort Worth, TX, July 18, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 2003, 15:15 local time
- Place: Fort Worth, TX
- Airport: Hicks Airfield Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.9311° N, 97.4117° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9311&lon=-97.4117&mi=10
- Aircraft: N44CN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N44CN-2005-03-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 35-A33 (registry code 1151404, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-a33) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 35A33
- Reported engine: CONT IO470*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW03LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA189) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030718036109A

## Narrative

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

(-23) INSPECTOR'S STATEMENT: ON JULY 18, 2003 I INVESTIGATED AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE OPERATION OF A BEECH 35-A33 SINGLE-ENGINE AIRPLANE, N44CN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED BY ROGER LATHAM AND HAD THREE PASSENGERS ONBOARD. THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED DURING INTERVIEWS WITH MR. LATHAM AND TWO OF THE PASSENGERS. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS ENROUTE TO HICKS AIRPORT IN FORT WORTH, TEXAS ON A 14 CFR 91 PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH FOUR OCCUPANTS ONBOARD. SOON AFTER DEPARTING NACOGCOCHES, MR. LATHAM BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE RADIO PROBLEMS. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED TO HICKS AIRPORT WHERE MR. LATHAM INTENDED TO LAND. DURING THE APPROACH TO HICKS, THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED, HOWEVER WHEN THE GEAR WAS SELECTED IN THE DOWN POSITION THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO EXTEND. MR. LATHAM RECOGNIZED THE UNSAFE GEAR CONDITION AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. WHEN POWER WAS APPLED, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND WOULD NOT DEVELOP ADEQUATE POWER TO CONTINUE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND NORTH WEST OF THE RUNWAY BETWEEN THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, THREE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND ONE RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. DURING THE INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT ON SITE, IT WAS NOTED THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS STILL RETRACTED, THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED, AND THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS NOT IN A FULL RICH POSITION. MANY OF THE SWITCHES WERE IN THE OFF POSITION, INCLUDING THE ALTERNATOR FIELD SWITCH, HOWEVER IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE POSITION OF THESE SWITCHES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITH THE AIRCRAFT LIFTED AND A JUMP BATTERY CONNECTED, THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED NORMALLY. A SPECIFIC GRAVITY TEST WAS CONDUCTED ON THE BATTERY REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY LACKED ADEQUATE CHARGE TO OPERATE THE ELECTRIC LANDING GEAR MOTOR. THE ALTERNATOR WAS REMOVED AND TESTED FOR PROPER OPERATION WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 10-STATUE MILES VISIBILITY, FEW CLOUDS AT 7500 FEET, AND TEMPERATURE WAS 37 C. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## 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 FTW03LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03LA189), Jul 18, 2003: Beech 35-A33 (N44CN), Fort Worth, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper use of the mixture control. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to select the battery/alternator circuit, resulting in a loss of battery…

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.

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