# Accident 20050806016939A: Beech D35, Decatur, AL, August 6, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 6, 2005, 10:35 local time
- Place: Decatur, AL
- Airport: Pryor Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6186° N, 87.0517° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6186&lon=-87.0517&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3468B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3468B-2017-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech D35 (registry code 1151510, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D35
- Reported engine: CONT E225*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 510 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL05FA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05FA139) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050806016939A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 ATL05FA139](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL05FA139), Aug 6, 2005: Beech BE-D35 (N3468B), Decatur, AL, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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.

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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