# Accident 20151204021059A: Beech D35, Vine Grove, KY, December 4, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 4, 2015, 16:15 local time
- Place: Vine Grove, KY
- Airport: Vine Grove
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.8158° N, 85.9647° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8158&lon=-85.9647&mi=10
- Aircraft: N2991B, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2991B-2016-02-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech D35 (registry code 1151510, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR E185 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 957 total, 18 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA16LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA062) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151204021059A

## Narrative

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

ON FRIDAY 12/04/2015 AT 16:15 LOCAL, N2991B DEPARTED VINE GROVE KY (70KY). ON CLIMB OUT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND IMPACTED TERRAIN. THE PILOT STATED TO FAA INVESTIGATOR THAT "IT WAS A NICE CALM CLEAR DAY WITH NO WIND AND HE WANTED TO DO SOME PATTERN WORK." HE STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INCLUDING VISUAL VERIFICATION OF FUEL IN BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT WING TANKS, APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS IN EACH, THE AUX TANK CANNOT BE VERIFIED VISUALLY. HE DECIDED TO TAXI TO THE FAR END OF GRASS RUNWAY 29 TO ALLOW THE ENGINE TIME TO REACH OPERATING TEMP. ALL BEFORE TAKEOFF CHECKS SEEMED NORMAL. WITH 10 DEG FLAPS, THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND DISTANCE WAS NORMAL. THE ENGINE WAS PERFORMING WELL WITH A POSITIVE CLIMB ESTABLISHED, SO HE RAISED THE GEAR AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS. AT THAT POINT, HE STATED HE ESTIMATED TO BE APPROX 150 FEET AGL, WITH MOST OF THE RUNWAY BEHIND HIM, THEN THE ENGINE JUST QUIT.  DUE TO THE BUILDINGS AND POWER LINES AROUND THE AIRPORT, HE SELECTED A LANDING SITE ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT OFF THE NOSE, A PAVED STREET (VALLEY VIEW DRIVE). HE CLIPPED A SET OF POWER LINES AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE EDGE OF THE ROAD. EVERYTHING HAPPENED IN JUST A FEW SECONDS ACCORDING TO THE PILOT. HE SHUT OFF THE MAGS & MASTER, MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM AUX TO OFF, AND GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT. EMS RESPONSE WAS ALMOST IMMEDIATE. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THE ACCIDENT OVER AND OVER, THE D-35 HAS ONLY ONE FUEL GAUGE AND TWO SWITCHES USED TO SELECT THE TANK INDICATED.  THE FUEL SELECTOR HAS 4 POSITIONS LEFT, RIGHT, AUX AND OFF. (YOU CAN HAVE THE FUEL SELECTOR ON THE AUX TANK AND THE FUEL INDICATOR ON A DIFFERENT TANK.) PILOT STATED IT IS POSSIBLE THAT HE MISTAKENLY VERIFIED THE FUEL LEVEL IN THE AUX TANK WITH THE INDICATOR SET TO ONE OF THE MAIN TANKS.  IT WAS VERIFIED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT THE AUX TANK ONLY HELD 6 QUARTS OF FUEL AND, WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE AUX POSITION, VERY LITTLE FUEL CAME OUT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE WHEN REMOVED FROM THE CARBURATOR .  ALSO, WHEN THE WOBBLE PUMP WAS PUMPED, VERY LITTLE FUEL CAME OUT WHILE PUMPING.

THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED, THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## 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 ERA16LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA062), Dec 4, 2015: Beech D35 (N2991B), Vine Grove, KY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to ensure that the fuel selector was properly positioned before takeoff, which resulted in the subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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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