# Accident 20090321005009A: Beech A36, Laredo, TX, March 21, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 21, 2009, 16:45 local time
- Place: Laredo, TX
- Airport: Laredo International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.5592° N, 99.4708° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5592&lon=-99.4708&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8120R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8120R-2013-05-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36 (registry code 1151604, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36
- Reported engine: CONT IO520*
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,340 total, 19 in this make and model, 47 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN09LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA227) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090321005009A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 CEN09LA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA227), Mar 21, 2009: Beech A36 (N8120R), Laredo, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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…

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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