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20090927018139A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Beech 35-C33 · Tillamook, OR · September 27, 2009

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 27, 2009 · 11:37 local
Place
Tillamook, OR
Airport
Tillamook
Phase of flight
Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N90LP
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR09CA467
Reported as
Beech 35C33
Reported engine
Continental IO470*
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
18,000 total140 in this make and model230 in the last 90 days
N90LPRegistration cancelled May 11, 2015 · Beech 35-C33S/N CD-1047 · Built 1966Airframe modelBeech 35-C33Engine modelContinental I0-470 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.

Aircraft departed KS45 (siletz bay) for kast (astoria), a flight 42 minutes. Pilot calculated 10 gallons of fuel required for trip. Preflight of fuel quantity at KS45 reported to have been 12 gallons indicationg left tank and 18 gallons indicating right tank. Aircraft departed using right tank, and pilot switched to left once at altitude. 24 minutes later the left tank ran dry, and pilot switched to the right tank. The pilot reversed course and diverted to the closest airport ktmk, (Tillamook), and 5 minutes later the engine began to sputter while on approach to runway 13. Pilot reported insufficient fuel to complete the approach, and elected to land in a pasture about 1/3 mile from approach end of runway rather than risk crashing short of the runway into houses and structures. Aircraft received substantial damge from landing, but no injuries to pilot or passengers. Operational check of fuel gauges after accident showed left tank indicating empty, and right tank indicating 1/3 tank, with both tanks completely empty.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KS45 (SILETZ BAY) FOR KAST (ASTORIA), A FLIGHT 42 MINUTES. PILOT CALCULATED 10 GALLONS OF FUEL REQUIRED FOR TRIP. PREFLIGHT OF FUEL QUANTITY AT KS45 REPORTED TO HAVE BEEN 12 GALLONS INDICATIONG LEFT TANK AND 18 GALLONS INDICATING RIGHT TANK. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED USING RIGHT TANK, AND PILOT SWITCHED TO LEFT ONCE AT ALTITUDE. 24 MINUTES LATER THE LEFT TANK RAN DRY, AND PILOT SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND DIVERTED TO THE CLOSEST AIRPORT KTMK, (TILLAMOOK), AND 5 MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER WHILE ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY 13. PILOT REPORTED INSUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLETE THE APPROACH, AND ELECTED TO LAND IN A PASTURE ABOUT 1/3 MILE FROM APPROACH END OF RUNWAY RATHER THAN RISK CRASHING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY INTO HOUSES AND STRUCTURES. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMGE FROM LANDING, BUT NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGERS. OPERATIONAL CHECK OF FUEL GAUGES AFTER ACCIDENT SHOWED LEFT TANK INDICATING EMPTY, AND RIGHT TANK INDICATING 1/3 TANK, WITH BOTH TANKS COMPLETELY EMPTY.

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 WPR09CA467Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportTillamook, ORA loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to visually verify that sufficient fuel was on board prior to flight. Contributing to the accident was a malfunctioning fuel gage.Sep 27, 2009 · Substantial damage