# Accident 20170131005509A: Beech E-55, Bakersfield, CA, January 31, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 31, 2017, 16:40 local time
- Place: Bakersfield, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.4314° N, 119.0550° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.4314&lon=-119.0550&mi=10
- Aircraft: N711YK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N711YK-2022-02-05) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech E-55 (registry code 1152732, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E-55
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,048 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 106 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR17LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA059) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170131005509A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 31, 2017 AFTER A NEW ENGINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE LEFT MOUNT THE PILOT HAD BEEN BREAKING IN THE ENGINE BY OPERATING AT 4000 FEET OVER THE AIRPORT AT HIGH POWER SETTINGS.  HIS FLIGHT WAS CONCLUDED AFTER ABOUT 1.6 HOURS AND HE HEADED BACK TO THE KBFL AIRPORT (BAKERFIELD, CA) AND WAS IN THE LANDING FLARE WHEN HE FELT THAT THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE TOUCHED DOWN AND IT HAD NOT.  FEARING THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS NOT DOWN EVEN THOUGH THE 3 GREEN LANDING GEAR INDICATION WERE ILLUMINATED HE PERFORMED A GO AROUND AND ADDED FULL POWER ON BOTH THROTTLES.  HE IMMEDIATLY NOTICED THAT THERE WAS NOT POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO YAW AND ROLLING TORQUE.  HE LEVELED THE PITCH OF THE AIRPLANE AND REDUCED RIGHT ENGINE THROTTLE TO IDLE BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO YAW AND BANK UNCONTROLLABLY.  THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED AFTER AS THE  LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS WERE HITTING THE GROUND.  THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUSHED UPWARD FROM THE IMPACT OF THE CARTWHEEL.  THE PILOT WAS SLIGHTLY INJURED FROM CUT AND BRUISING AND DID NOT NEED HOSPITALIZATION.   VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND WINDS WERE LIGHT.

## 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 WPR17LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17LA059), Feb 1, 2017: Beech E 55 (N711YK), Bakersfield, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to select the proper fuel boost pump setting for the left auxiliary fuel pump, which allowed for an excessive fuel flow to the left engine, which resulted in a total loss of…

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.