20201120015259I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Beech N35 · Spruce Creek, FL · November 20, 2020

Date: November 20, 2020 · 10:24 local
Place: Spruce Creek, FL
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N9431Y
Reported as: Beech N35
Reported engine: Continental I0-550 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,079 in this make and model

N9431YRegistered now · Beech N35S/N D-6610 · Built 1960 Airframe modelBeech N35 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.

On 11/20/2020 at approximately 1024, N9431Y, a Beechcraft N-35, sn D-6610, took off from runway 6 at Spruce Creek airport and during the takeoff climb noticed the left fuel tank cap loose over the wing of the aircraft. Fuel was visibly flowing out of the fuel tank so the pilot decided to go around and land the aircraft back at Spruce Creek. Pilot leveled off at around 500-600 feet. He notified traffic at the airport his intent to land due to the emergency with no replies back. Heavy rain was unexpectedly encountered during his descent to final. Pilot set full flaps and started his landing when he heard the stall warning go off while retracting his power level back. He assumed it meant he was slow. When he touched down he felt the brunt of the impact and realized he landed gear up. The aircraft came to a complete stop on the runway and the pilot was able to walk away without injury.

As the FAA filed it

ON 11/20/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1024, N9431Y, A BEECHCRAFT N-35, SN D-6610, TOOK OFF FROM RUNWAY 6 AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT AND DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB NOTICED THE LEFT FUEL TANK CAP LOOSE OVER THE WING OF THE AIRCRAFT. FUEL WAS VISIBLY FLOWING OUT OF THE FUEL TANK SO THE PILOT DECIDED TO GO AROUND AND LAND THE AIRCRAFT BACK AT SPRUCE CREEK. PILOT LEVELED OFF AT AROUND 500-600 FEET. HE NOTIFIED TRAFFIC AT THE AIRPORT HIS INTENT TO LAND DUE TO THE EMERGENCY WITH NO REPLIES BACK. HEAVY RAIN WAS UNEXPECTEDLY ENCOUNTERED DURING HIS DESCENT TO FINAL. PILOT SET FULL FLAPS AND STARTED HIS LANDING WHEN HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING GO OFF WHILE RETRACTING HIS POWER LEVEL BACK. HE ASSUMED IT MEANT HE WAS SLOW. WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN HE FELT THE BRUNT OF THE IMPACT AND REALIZED HE LANDED GEAR UP. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ON THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO WALK AWAY WITHOUT INJURY.