- Date
- September 20, 2010, 20:57 local (Sep 21, 2010, 01:57 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Worth, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N17GBBeech D17S
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Collision during takeoff/land
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 12, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20100920054989A
- Case key
- 77423
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 improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
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 reported to Federal Aviation Administration inspectors that, while on final approach, the engine experienced a total loss of power. He configured the airplane for a forced landing and touched down on rough terrain. As a result of the impact sequence both the upper and lower left wings were crushed. The pilot stated the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.
Factual narrative
The pilot told FAA inspectors that he was returning from the Reno Air Races and had stopped in Flagstaff, Arizona, to refuel. On final approach to Hicks Airfield, the engine lost power, and the pilot made a forced landing on rough terrain. Both upper and lower left wings were crushed. The pilot said that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. On several occasions, the pilot was requested to complete and return NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-Operator Aircraft Accident Report. He failed to comply.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N17GB
- Reported as
- Beech D17S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4818
- Airframe hours
- 4,818
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN-4, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Spencer Hodge
- Registered owner
- Spencer Hodge
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2010 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- FLG · Flagstaff, AZ
- Destination
- T67 · Fort Worth, TX
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- T67 · Hicks Airfield, runway 14, 3,740 × 60 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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 18,000 total · 153 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 180° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- FTW
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 24, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 95 KB 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.