# Incident 20231031016979I: Beech 35-C33, Aurora, OR, October 31, 2023

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 31, 2023, 14:15 local time
- Place: Aurora, OR
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.2283° N, 122.7572° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Aurora, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.2283&lon=-122.7572&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5814K, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5814K) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 35-C33 (registry code 1151408, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-c33) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 35-C33
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 692 total, 31 in this make and model, 51 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231031016979I

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER DEPARTED AURORA AIRPORT (UAO) AROUND 11:00 LCL ON 10-31-23 WITH THE INTENTION OF FLYING TO OMAK, WA (OMK), LANDING, THEN DEPARTING AGAIN TO RETURN TO UAO.  HE FUELED THE AIRPLANE WITH 60 GALLONS IN UAO.  HIS FLIGHT PLANNING SHOWED THAT HE WOULD BURN 45 GALLONS FOR THE ROUND TRIP.  DURING HIS FLIGHT UP TO OMK AND BACK TO UAO HIS FUEL BURN CALCULATION OF 15 GPH PROVED TO BE ACCURATE.  THE ENTIRE FLIGHT UP TO OMK AND BACK TO UAO WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL DOWN WIND AT UAO.

WHILE ESTABLISHED ON DOWNWIND AT UAO THE AIRPLANE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN "ROUGH" AND THE PILOT SAW THE FUEL PRESSURE GAUGE FLUCTUATING.  HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH UAO CT.  CT ASKED HIM IF HE WAS ABLE TO LAND AT UA.  HE REPLIED THAT HE DIDN'T THINK SO.  CT ADVISED HIM THAT LENHARDT AIRORT (7S9) WAS CLOSE.  THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN TOWARDS 7S9 BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT PERFORMED A SUCCESSFUL OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MIILES WEST OF 7S9.  THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.  THE PILOT WAS NOT SURE AT WHAT POINT THE ENGINE STOPPED.  HE COMMENTED THAT THE PROP WAS WINDMILLING ON THE WAY DOWN.

AFTER TRAVELING TO UAO BY GROUND TRANSPORTATION THE PILOT RETURNED BACK AT THE AIRPLANE.  DURING A DISCUSSION WITH HIS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE PILOT STARTED LOOKING FOR OBVIOUS CAUSES OF THE ENGINE "TROUBLE".  HE SAW THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS NOT "IN THE DETENT" FOR THE RIGHT TANK.  I ASKED HIM DURING THE FIRST INTERVIEW WHEN HE HAD LAST SWITCHED TANKS AND HE REPLIED, "OVER VANCOUVER".  AT CRUISE SPEED IT IS ABOUT A 15 MINUTE FLIGHT BETWEEN VANCOUVER AND UAO.  AFTER DISCOVERING THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE LOCATION, HE ELECTED TO MOVE IT "INTO THE DETENT" FOR THE RIGHT TANK.  HE THEN CHECKED THE FUEL LEVELS VISUALLY IN EACH TANK BY LOOKING INSIDE THE TANKS.  THE LEVELS CORRESPONDED WITH THE FUEL INDICATIONS ON THE RESPECTIVE GAUGES.  HE PROCEEDED TO START THE ENGINE.  IT STARTED AND RAN WITHOUT HESITATION.  HE COMPLETED A RUN-UP AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY PROBLEMS.  AFTER SHUTTING DOWN, HE WALKED THE FIELD TO CHECK ON ITS CONDITION (CONSIDERING DEPARTING FROM THE FIELD).  HE DECIDED THAT IT WAS SATISFACTORY, STARTED THE PLANE, AND DEPARTED FROM THE FIELD WITH ONLY HIMSELF ON BOARD.  HE LANDED AT UAO AND TAXIED TO HIS HANGER WITHOUT ANY INCIDENTS OR ANOMOLIES.

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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