20090321005009A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech A36 · Laredo, TX · March 21, 2009

Date: March 21, 2009 · 16:45 local
Place: Laredo, TX
Airport: Laredo International
Phase of flight: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8120R
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09LA227
Reported as: Beech A36
Reported engine: Continental IO520*
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,340 total19 in this make and model47 in the last 90 days

N8120RRegistration cancelled May 13, 2013 · Beech A36S/N E-583 · Built 1974 Airframe modelBeech A36 Engine modelContinental IO-520 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) Flight iinstructor privacy data omitted was giving instructions to aircraft owner, privacy data omitted in privacy data omitted Beechcraft A-36 aircraft at the Laredo International Airport. While they were on the downwind leg for runway 17, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation. While attempting to restart the engine, the flight path exceeded the traffic pattern and the aircraft crashed in an apartment complex parking lot. Post crash investigation revealed that the left fuel tank was empty. The electric fuel boost pump was not turned on, and there was fuel in the right tank. Interview with the instructor revealed that the aircraft owner was in the left seat and the instructor was in the right seat. The instructor had to reach over the legs of the owner to reach the fuel selector valve and valuable time was spent selecting the right fuel tank. The engine failed to restart.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) FLIGHT IINSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO AIRCRAFT OWNER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BEECHCRAFT A-36 AIRCRAFT AT THE LAREDO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WHILE THEY WERE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 17, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE FLIGHT PATH EXCEEDED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN AN APARTMENT COMPLEX PARKING LOT. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE ELECTRIC FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS NOT TURNED ON, AND THERE WAS FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK. INTERVIEW WITH THE INSTRUCTOR REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WAS IN THE LEFT SEAT AND THE INSTRUCTOR WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT. THE INSTRUCTOR HAD TO REACH OVER THE LEGS OF THE OWNER TO REACH THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND VALUABLE TIME WAS SPENT SELECTING THE RIGHT FUEL TANK. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART.

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 CEN09LA227Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLaredo, TXThe certificated flight instructor's improper fuel management resulting in an engine failure due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to properly complete the restart checklist.Mar 21, 2009 · Substantial damage