# Accident 20130811023459A: Beech F33A, Ennis, TX, August 11, 2013 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: August 11, 2013, 10:45 local time - Place: Ennis, TX - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.2036° N, 96.7075° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.2036&lon=-96.7075&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4514S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4514S-2018-02-07) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech F33A (registry code 1151425, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH F33A - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 2 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13FA476](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA476) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130811023459A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON 08/11/2013, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N4514S, A BEECHCRAFT F33A, ENROUTE FROM GREENVILLE TEXAS TO LAKEWAY AIRPARK (3R9) IN LAKEWAY TEXAS. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PIC DIVERTED FROM HIS ORIGINAL PLAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 18 SW OF ENNIS TEXAS. THE PIC WAS FIRST IDENTIFIED BY ATC (QUITMAN LOW ALTITUDE SECTOR) AT APPROXIMATELY 0955 LOCAL, REQUESTING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING TO LAKEWAY AIRPARK (3R9) IN LAKEWAY TEXAS. AIRCRAFT WAS RADAR IDENTIFIED AT 0957 LOCAL AND WAS ISSUED A LOCAL ALTIMETER, AND AT 1001 LOCAL TRAFFIC INFORMATION FOR THE TERRELL TEXAS AIRPORT (TRL) WAS ISSUED TO THE PIC AND AGAIN AT 1003 LOCAL, ALONG WITH A FREQUENCY CHANGE TO WHICH HE ACKNOWLEDGED. THE PIC COMPLIED WITH THE FREQUENCY CHANGE, AND THEN AT 1017 LOCAL WAS ISSUED ANOTHER CHANGE TO WACO APPROACH, HE THEN CHECKED ON AT 1018 LOCAL AT 10,500 FEET. AT 1024 LOCAL THE PIC ADVISED WACO APPROACH THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO CANCEL FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND GO TO ENNIS (F41) TEXAS. WACO ACKNOWLEDGED HIS REQUEST AND TERMINATED FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT 1025 LOCAL. AT 1033 THE PIC CHECKED BACK IN WITH WACO APPROACH AND ADVISES HE IS TURNING BACK TOWARDS ENNIS AND WAS EXPERIENCING SOME FUEL ISSUES AND REQUESTED THE CLOSEST AIRPORT TO HIS LOCATION, AT WHICH TIME WACO APPROACH ASKED HIM TO IDENT FOR RADAR IDENTIFICATION. AT 1034 WACO ADVISED THE PIC THAT THEY WERE NOT RECEIVING HIS IDENT, AND THE PIC REPLIED ?ROGER THAT I?M GONNA?. WACO ADVISED THE PIC THAT ENNIS WOULD BE THE CLOSET AIRPORT FROM HIS LOCATION. THEN AT 1034 WACO TRIED TO CONTACT THE AIRCRAFT AND THE TRANSMISSIONS WENT UNANSWERED. AT APPROXIMATELY 1045 LOCAL, N4514S IMPACTED THE GROUND NEAR THE CITY OF RANKIN TEXAS (75119 RANKIN, THERE ARE 2 IN TEXAS), STRIKING A SMALL CEDAR TREE WITH THE LEFT WING JUST AFTER IMPACT, RIPPING THE TIP TANK OF THE LEFT WING, AND CONTINUED ANOTHER 30 FEET IMPACTING ANOTHER SMALL TREE AT WHICH POINT THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST. THE ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED MOUNTS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND WERE 8 FEET FORWARD OF THE FUSELAGE, THE AIRCRAFT ERUPTED IN A FIRE DESTROYING THE FUSELAGE AND KILLING BOTH THE PIC AND PASSENGER. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE IDENTIFIED BY THE DALLAS COUNTY CORONER?S OFFICE AS THEY WERE BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION. INVESTIGATION INTO THE ACCIDENT ORIGINALLY LED TOWARDS FUEL EXHAUSTION, BUT THE RESULTING FIRE SHOWED OBVIOUS SIGNS THAT THE FIRE WAS FUELED BY AVIATION FUEL RESULTING IN EXTREME TEMPERATURES CAPABLE OF MELTING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE TO THE POINT THAT IT DID. THE PIC HAD PURCHASED FUEL IN GREENVILLE AND THE AMOUNT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE THAN ENOUGH TO MAKE THE FLIGHT THAT DAY, HOWEVER IN HIS TRANSMISSION TO WACO APPROACH HE STATED THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING SOME FUEL ISSUES WITHOUT FURTHER CLARIFICATION AS TO THE EXTENT OF THE ISSUE. GREENVILLE'S FUEL RECORDS AND SAMPLES WERE REVIEWED AND FUEL CONTAMINATION WAS ELIMINATED. EXAMINATION OF THE POWER PLANT COMPONENTS, SPECIFICALLY THE PROPELLER WHICH HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF THE ENGINE, INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS NOT MAKING POWER UPON IMPACT. THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE SHEAR POINT HAD NO SIGNS OF TWISTING WHICH ALSO SUPPORTS THE CONCLUSION OF THE ENGINE NOT PRODUCING POWER. FUEL SELECTOR FOR THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED (MELTED) AND WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR DETERMINATION OF TANK SELECTED, HOWEVER, BOTH WING TANKS BURNED IN A MANNER SUGGESTING FUEL WAS PRESENT DURING THE FIRE. DETERMINATION OF WHETHER THIS ACCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR IT WAS PILOT INDUCED IS NOT POSSIBLE DUE TO THE EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME, AND THERE WERE NO CREDITABLE WITNESSES OF THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 CEN13FA476](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA476), Aug 11, 2013: Beechcraft F33A (N4514S), Ennis, TX, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations due to postcrash fire damage. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.