- Date
- April 5, 1990, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brunswick, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5180CBeech B35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900405007769A
- Case key
- 8227
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to properly manage his fuel supply by switching to a tank with fuel prior to the loss of engine power. Collision with the tree(s) was a factor related to the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On the return flt to the airport, the plt established a descent & the eng lost power at about 1000 feet above the ground. The pilot stated he attempted to restart the engine by switching fuel tanks. He was unable to restart the engine and established a glide for a marsh area, but the acft struck a tree. The pilot exited the inverted aircraft unassisted. Investigation revealed the left wing and fuselage tank contained fuel; however, the right wing tank was empty.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5180C
- Reported as
- Beech B35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-2462
- Airframe hours
- 5,414
- Engine
- Continental E-185-11, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Fendig, Bruce
- Registered owner
- Fendig, Bruce
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 11, 1989
- Departed
- SAV · Savannah, GA
- Destination
- SSI · Brunswick, GA
- Airport
- SS1 · Malcom Mckinnon, runway 22, 5,421 × 150 ft
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 23
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 48 in this make and model · 985 as pilot in command · 200 in the last 90 days · 65 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- 551, 1 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.