- Date
- August 5, 2009, 19:00 local (Aug 6, 2009, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4554VBeech 35
- Defining event
- Enroute: Fuel exhaustion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090805013159A
- Case key
- 74465
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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s improper fuel planning.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot departed and was destined for an airport 17 miles away for a planned fuel stop. While at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet and about 8 miles from his planned destination, the airplane's single engine stopped producing power. The pilot was able to restart the engine after he activated the electric fuel pump and selected the left fuel tank. The engine continued to produce power until approximately 3 miles from the destination airport when it again lost complete power. The pilot selected a field and executed a forced landing. During the landing rollout the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the airplane’s fuel tanks were not breached and contained only a residual amount of fuel. The inspector further reported that the vegetation underneath the fuel tanks did not exhibit signatures of a fuel spill.
Factual narrative
On August 5, 2009, about 1900 central daylight time, a single-engine Beech 35 airplane, N4554V, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The private pilot, sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by Integrity Aviation Solutions LLC., of Ponca City, Oklahoma. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he had departed Myrick Airport (330K), Edmond, Oklahoma, and was destined 17 miles away for a planned fuel stop at the Sundance Airpark (HSD), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. While at an altitude of approximately 3,000 feet and about 8 miles from HSD, the airplane's single engine stopped producing power. The pilot was able to restart the engine after he activated the electric fuel pump and selected the left fuel tank. The engine continued to produce power until approximately 3 miles from HSD, when it again lost complete power. The pilot selected a field and executed a force landing. During the landing rollout the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. Pictures provided to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) revealed that the airplane’s stabilators sustained structural damage during the accident. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site shortly after the accident. The inspector reported that the airplane’s fuel tanks were not breached and contained a residual amount of fuel. The inspector further reported that the vegetation underneath the fuel tanks did not exhibited signatures of a fuel spill.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4554V
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-1383
- Airframe hours
- 3,241
- Engine
- Cont Motor E185 SERIES, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Integrity Aviation Solutions LLC
- Registered owner
- Integrity Aviation Solutions LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 12, 2008
- Departed
- 330K · Edmond, OK
- Destination
- HSD · Oklahoma City, OK
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
- 56
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 30, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 547 total · 1 in this make and model · 547 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 2, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4554V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.