20171031018109A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech BE-33 · Whiteville, NC · October 31, 2017

Date: October 31, 2017 · 10:00 local
Place: Whiteville, NC
Airport: Columbus County Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N293GC
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18FA012
Reported as: Beech BE-33
Reported engine: Continental IO-470-K
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N293GCRegistration cancelled May 6, 2019 · Beech 35-C33S/N CD-1035 · Built 1966 Airframe modelBeech 35-C33 Engine 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.

Approximately 3 miles from the runway the engine lost power due to apparent fuel starvation. The surviving passenger (who is a qualified pilot) stated that the incident pilot attempted to switch tanks causing him to look at the fuel selector and lean down, applying forward pressure on the yoke causing the aircraft to descend more rapidly. The aircraft struck a tree with the left wing approximately .4 miles from the runway. The aircraft came to rest facing away from the runway with substantial damage to the left wing and nose of the aircraft. Investigation revealed the right fuel transmitter was inoperative causing the right fuel gauge to indicate 3/4 at all times. Other contributing factors include: improper fuel management and improper forward application of the flight controls. Investigation revealed 1/2 gallon of fuel in the right tank and 16 gallons of fuel remaining in the left tank.

As the FAA filed it

APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO APPARENT FUEL STARVATION. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER (WHO IS A QUALIFIED PILOT) STATED THAT THE INCIDENT PILOT ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH TANKS CAUSING HIM TO LOOK AT THE FUEL SELECTOR AND LEAN DOWN, APPLYING FORWARD PRESSURE ON THE YOKE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DESCEND MORE RAPIDLY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING APPROXIMATELY .4 MILES FROM THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST FACING AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TRANSMITTER WAS INOPERATIVE CAUSING THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE TO INDICATE 3/4 AT ALL TIMES. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE: IMPROPER FUEL MANAGEMENT AND IMPROPER FORWARD APPLICATION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. INVESTIGATION REVEALED 1/2 GALLON OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK AND 16 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING IN THE LEFT TANK.

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 ERA18FA012Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportWhiteville, NCThe pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and his delayed reaction to the loss of engine power, which led to impact with trees as he was attempting to switch fuel tanks.…Oct 31, 2017 · Substantial damage