20040211003169A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Beech J35 · Pensacola, FL · February 11, 2004

Date: February 11, 2004 · 10:15 local
Place: Pensacola, FL
Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8389D
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC04FA021
Reported as: Beech J35
Reported engine: Continental IO470*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 506 total450 in this make and model12 in the last 90 days

N8389DRegistration cancelled Feb 22, 2017 · Beech J35S/N D-5530 · 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) Aircraft was enroute from new smyrna beach, Florida, to new orleans, Louisiana. Pilot contacted Pensacola TRACON informing control that he had a fuel problem stating that the tip tanks would not transfer fuel. Pilot asked if pns had facilities to refuel his aircraft and was told they did. At this time pns approach vectored pilot to pns for ILS approach. Pilot followed approach directions but unable to maintain localizer and glideslope. Pilot made several attempts to shoot the approach at pns, but still was unable to maintain course. During this attempts pilot stated several times that he was low on fuel and also stated he was out of fuel. On final attempt, altitude was too high and was told by controller to execute missed approach. Pilot then turned aircraft to north of pns and about 14 miles from pns aircraft crashed.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM NEW SMYRNA BEACH, FLORIDA, TO NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA. PILOT CONTACTED PENSACOLA TRACON INFORMING CONTROL THAT HE HAD A FUEL PROBLEM STATING THAT THE TIP TANKS WOULD NOT TRANSFER FUEL. PILOT ASKED IF PNS HAD FACILITIES TO REFUEL HIS AIRCRAFT AND WAS TOLD THEY DID. AT THIS TIME PNS APPROACH VECTORED PILOT TO PNS FOR ILS APPROACH. PILOT FOLLOWED APPROACH DIRECTIONS BUT UNABLE TO MAINTAIN LOCALIZER AND GLIDESLOPE. PILOT MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO SHOOT THE APPROACH AT PNS, BUT STILL WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN COURSE. DURING THIS ATTEMPTS PILOT STATED SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL AND ALSO STATED HE WAS OUT OF FUEL. ON FINAL ATTEMPT, ALTITUDE WAS TOO HIGH AND WAS TOLD BY CONTROLLER TO EXECUTE MISSED APPROACH. PILOT THEN TURNED AIRCRAFT TO NORTH OF PNS AND ABOUT 14 MILES FROM PNS AIRCRAFT CRASHED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ANC04FA021Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPensacola, FLThe pilot's improper decision to conduct flight that exceeded his demonstrated skills/ability. Also causal was his failure to properly execute the instrument approach. Contributing factors were low ceiling, fog, and the pilot's lack of the appropriate…Feb 12, 2004 · Destroyed