What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot stated that he had started his checklist when he realized that he had forgotten to bring his flight bag. When he got back in the aircraft, he did not finish the checklist. During takeoff on runway 21L, he realized that he had the left tank selected and that it had been run nearly dry on his previous flight. Just at rotation he selected the right tank. Three to five seconds later he stated that the engine quit. He landed straight forward with the gear up. He stated that rotation was 1000 feet down 21L, a 7500 foot runway, at about 80 knots, and that he selected gear up just after lift off. The flaps were up during the takeoff. The pilot stated that he had not selected the auxiliary boost pump on at any time during the flight. The aircraft went through a fence bordering highway 69, just across from the airport. The aircraft was about 1000 feet from the end of the runway, which would be over 7000 feet from the location the pilot stated that he had rotated. The engine was run after the accident and produced normal power. The Beechcraft operating manual for the BE-35 requires 13 gallons of fuel in each tank for takeoff and auxiliary fuel pump is required when the engine quits and another tank is selected.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD STARTED HIS CHECKLIST WHEN HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOTTEN TO BRING HIS FLIGHT BAG. WHEN HE GOT BACK IN THE AIRCRAFT, HE DID NOT FINISH THE CHECKLIST. DURING TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 21L, HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD THE LEFT TANK SELECTED AND THAT IT HAD BEEN RUN NEARLY DRY ON HIS PREVIOUS FLIGHT. JUST AT ROTATION HE SELECTED THE RIGHT TANK. THREE TO FIVE SECONDS LATER HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT. HE LANDED STRAIGHT FORWARD WITH THE GEAR UP. HE STATED THAT ROTATION WAS 1000 FEET DOWN 21L, A 7500 FOOT RUNWAY, AT ABOUT 80 KNOTS, AND THAT HE SELECTED GEAR UP JUST AFTER LIFT OFF. THE FLAPS WERE UP DURING THE TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD NOT SELECTED THE AUXILIARY BOOST PUMP ON AT ANY TIME DURING THE FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT WENT THROUGH A FENCE BORDERING HIGHWAY 69, JUST ACROSS FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 1000 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WHICH WOULD BE OVER 7000 FEET FROM THE LOCATION THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD ROTATED. THE ENGINE WAS RUN AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND PRODUCED NORMAL POWER. THE BEECHCRAFT OPERATING MANUAL FOR THE BE-35 REQUIRES 13 GALLONS OF FUEL IN EACH TANK FOR TAKEOFF AND AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP IS REQUIRED WHEN THE ENGINE QUITS AND ANOTHER TANK IS SELECTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.