# NTSB CEN12LA169: Beech 58, N99EZ, Cypress, TX, February 24, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 23, 2012, 18:59 local (Feb 24, 2012, 00:59 UTC) - Place: Cypress, TX - Coordinates: 29.95977, -95.689437 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.9598&lon=-95.6894&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 13, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 82963 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12LA169 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82963/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82963 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA169 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation and in-flight fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion during the approach to the destination airport. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 58, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Beech 58, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 58, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152740), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was performing an instrument approach to his destination airport. After the airplane descended beneath the clouds on the approach, both engines experienced a total loss of power. Examination of the airplane revealed that there was no usable fuel aboard. ## Factual narrative On February 23, 2012, about 1859 central standard time, a Beech 58, N99EZ, experienced a total loss of engine power on both engines during a visual approach to West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing about 7 miles northwest of IWS and near Cypress, Texas. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger was uninjured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing. The airplane was registered to United Aviation Associates LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan had not been filed for the flight that originated from Vicksburg Municipal Airport, Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was destined for IWS. A National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report, Form 6120.1, was not received from the pilot. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot requested and received a local instrument flight rules clearance to IWS. The pilot received radar vectors for a global positioning system runway 15 approach. The pilot then requested and was issued a visual approach clearance. The cloud height became lower, and the pilot began to descend. Air traffic control warned the pilot that they received a low altitude alert, which was then followed by the right engine running rough. The pilot turned on the fuel pump and the engine began to run smooth. The pilot thought that the engine driven fuel pump had failed. Both engines then experienced a total loss of engine power and the pilot attempted a forced landing to a baseball field. There were children on the field and the pilot attempted to land on a road next to the field. The airplane touched down on a school playground and the landing gear collapsed. The airplane slid for about 100 feet and struck a telephone pole tearing the wing near the engine cowling. There was no evidence of usable fuel present in the airplane fuel tanks. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N99EZ](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N99EZ-2015-04-27), registration cancelled 2015-04-27, S/N TH-725, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 58 (NO SERIES) - Registry model: [Beech 58](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-58) (registry code 1152740) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TH-725 - Engines: Continental IO 520 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: United Aviation Associates LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: VKS, Vicksburg, MS - Destination: IWS, Houston, TX - Airport: IWS, West Houston Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2 ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 170° at 22 knots - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.60 inHg - Observed at: TME, 12 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120223003659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120223003659A), Feb 23, 2012: Beech 58, Cypress, TX, Substantial damage. PIC was inbound to west houston, Texas (kitw) from vicksburg, Mississippi (kvks) on 02/23/2012. The flight according to the GPS in the aircraft lasted 2.2… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82963. 116 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 - Request Letter to Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387184&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%20-%20Request%20Letter%20to%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector (item 2, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40387185&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA%20Inspector-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.