20050806016939A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech D35 · Decatur, AL · August 6, 2005

Date: August 6, 2005 · 10:35 local
Place: Decatur, AL
Airport: Pryor Field Airport
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3468B
NTSB investigation: NTSBATL05FA139
Reported as: Beech D35
Reported engine: Continental E225*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,000 total510 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days

N3468BRegistration cancelled Jul 12, 2017 · Beech D35S/N D-3694 · Built 1953 Airframe modelBeech D35 Engine 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) Pilot in command elected to depart with minimal fuel in wing tanks, full aux tank (use of aux tank is only permissible in straight and level flight). While in cruise flight, engine quit due to fuel starvation, pilot selected right wing tank which was found intact and empty. During emergency approach for off airport landing, pilot allowed airspeed to decay to just above stall speed, then elected to lower landing gear. Airplane stalled, rolled left, and impacted vertically.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT IN COMMAND ELECTED TO DEPART WITH MINIMAL FUEL IN WING TANKS, FULL AUX TANK (USE OF AUX TANK IS ONLY PERMISSIBLE IN STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLIGHT). WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, PILOT SELECTED RIGHT WING TANK WHICH WAS FOUND INTACT AND EMPTY. DURING EMERGENCY APPROACH FOR OFF AIRPORT LANDING, PILOT ALLOWED AIRSPEED TO DECAY TO JUST ABOVE STALL SPEED, THEN ELECTED TO LOWER LANDING GEAR. AIRPLANE STALLED, ROLLED LEFT, AND IMPACTED VERTICALLY.

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 ATL05FA139Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportDecatur, ALThe pilot's mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and subsequent inadvertent stall/spin during the forced landing.Aug 6, 2005 · Substantial damage