20040829021439A

(-23) On August 29, 2004, at approximately 1230 mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beechcraft model 35C, N63AC, was destroyed following an in-flight loss of control, and impacted a residential home in Kalispell, Montana. The certificated private pilot, who occupied the left seat, and the aircraft owner and certificated private pilot, who occupied the right seat, both sustained fatal injuries. Additionally, a dog that was in the residential home, sustained fatal injuries from the impact. There were no other occupants in the residential home at the time of the accident. Visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated in accordance with 14 CFR part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The pilots were practicing touch-and-go landings. The flight departed the Kalispell City Airport (S27) at approximately 1200 MDT. Several witnesses in the area submitted oral and written statements to law enforcement personnel. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane overhead and hearing the engine "sputter", "hesitate", and "cut out", then start again, as it was about to turn onto its final approach to runway 13 at S27. Witnesses also reported that the airplane's engine quit running before it started to lose altitude. Witnesses stated that the airplane then banked to the left, and then observed the wings "go vertical" before going straight down. The aircraft impacted the front of a residential house on a magnetic heading of approximately 135 degrees. The plane subsequently came to rest on the front porch of the house on a magnetic heading of 090 degrees. There was no post-crash fire. On August 30, 2004, a post-accident on-site examination by the national transportation safety board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (iic), a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector (iic), and a representative of teledyne Continental motors was performed. The examination revealed that the cockpit and right wing were destroyed, and also, that the left tip (fuel) tank and the right main fuel tank were breached, while the right tip tank, left main fuel tank, and center auxiliary fuel tank were intact. Both main landing and the nose landing gears were in the down and locked position, and both wing flaps were partially extended. The aircraft's engine had separated from the aircraft and was located 9 feet forward and 20 degrees to the right of the airplane's cockpit, inside the house. At approximately 100 MDT, on August 30, 2004, the aircraft was removed from the house and transported to a local hangar (S27) for further examination by the NTSB, the FAA inspector, and the teledyne Continental motor representative. The examination of the aircraft and the engine and the remaining fuel found onboard were inspected. The remaining fuel out of the three intact fuel tanks was approximately 7 to 8 gallons. The airframe was inspected and found to have been in an airworthy condition before the accident. The only significant thing found was the position of the fuel selector valve, which was found to be selected part way between the left and right main tanks. The fuel selector valve was removed and examined, and found to function normally through the detents. Components were removed from the aircraft's engine, the fuel pump, carburetor, and magnetos, for further examination and testing. The results later determined that there was no mechanical malfunction of the engine components. The NTSB inspector and the FAA inspector have concluded that the probable cause of the accident was fuel starvation due to mismanagement of fuel and the fuel selector valve. This accidentis considered closed.