What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On July 31, 2004, pilot of N222S, BE-35-V35A, departed Grand Junction, CO (kgjt) at approximately 1515 MDT for a local VFR flight. Pilot reported fuel quantity at takeoff to be approximately 1/2-2/3 full in main tanks (55 gallons). The aircraft returned to kgjt after approximately 3.0 hours of flying and conducted two landings and takeoffs on runway 29. The pilot taxied back after each landing. On the third takeoff the air traffic control tower asked N222S if they could use runway 22 for traffic. The pilot accepted. The fuel selector was on the left tank with approximately 1/2 tank indicated; the right tank was indicating 1/4. After takeoff runway 22 the aircraft climbed to approximately 500 feet AGL when the engine quit. The pilot immediately began a right turn back to the runway and switched fuel tanks to the right tank. The aircraft landed approximately 150 feet short of the approach end of runway 4 while the gear was being extended. The aircraft came to rest on its belly. No injuries to the pilot and one passenger. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the bulkhead just aft of the right wing, at the location where the step is attached, and to the keel beam just below the engine.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JULY 31, 2004, PILOT OF N222S, BE-35-V35A, DEPARTED GRAND JUNCTION, CO (KGJT) AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 MDT FOR A LOCAL VFR FLIGHT. PILOT REPORTED FUEL QUANTITY AT TAKEOFF TO BE APPROXIMATELY 1/2-2/3 FULL IN MAIN TANKS (55 GALLONS). THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO KGJT AFTER APPROXIMATELY 3.0 HOURS OF FLYING AND CONDUCTED TWO LANDINGS AND TAKEOFFS ON RUNWAY 29. THE PILOT TAXIED BACK AFTER EACH LANDING. ON THE THIRD TAKEOFF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER ASKED N222S IF THEY COULD USE RUNWAY 22 FOR TRAFFIC. THE PILOT ACCEPTED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK WITH APPROXIMATELY 1/2 TANK INDICATED; THE RIGHT TANK WAS INDICATING 1/4. AFTER TAKEOFF RUNWAY 22 THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A RIGHT TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET SHORT OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 4 WHILE THE GEAR WAS BEING EXTENDED. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS BELLY. NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BULKHEAD JUST AFT OF THE RIGHT WING, AT THE LOCATION WHERE THE STEP IS ATTACHED, AND TO THE KEEL BEAM JUST BELOW THE ENGINE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.