- Date
- January 18, 1991, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Arden, NC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4589VBeech 35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910118000759A
- Case key
- 8304
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
For undetermined reasons, the engine lost power.
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
During the initial climb after takeoff, the eng lost power. Subsequently, the acft collided with trees and crashed. Water was found in a fuel line (btn the fuel selector vlv and electric fuel pump), electric boost pump manifold, and carburetor (carb) inlet strainer; however, the fuel system was damaged during impact and fire suppressant chemicals were sprayed on the wreckage. A check of the carb showed that it was providing a lean mixture at low power settings and a rich mixture at hi power settings. A teardown of the carb revealed a crystalline substance on the carb diaphragm, an improper metering jet, and that 5 shims were installed in the carb regulator diaphragm spring mechanism. The bendix overhaul manual allowed a maximum of 2 shims. During a post-acdnt check, the eng operated normally with the electric fuel pump on, but the eng stopped running when the electric pump was turned off.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4589V
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-1060
- Airframe hours
- 7,476
- Engine
- Continental E-185-11-10, 185 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Feeney, R. K. & Chapman, A. T.
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 1990 · 54 hours before
- Departed
- AVL
- Destination
- 17A · Lawrenceville, GA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- AVL · Ashville Regional, runway 34, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,180 total · 1,030 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AVL, 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.