CEN09LA501

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 35 · Oklahoma City, OK · August 6, 2009

Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
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.

Planning/preparation: fuel planningPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotBeech 35: 1 caseAll aircraft: 719 casesProbable cause
Fluids: fuelAircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid levelBeech 35: 1 caseAll aircraft: 1,695 casesProbable cause

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.