- Date
- July 2, 2013, 11:14 local (16:14 UTC)
- Place
- Bridgeport, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8585MBeech P35
- Defining event
- Maneuvering: Fuel starvation
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Flight Standards District Office
- FAA report
- 20130702012599A
- Case key
- 87368
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 failure of both the flight instructor and the pilot to monitor and manage the fuel on board, which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel starvation.
Findings · 3
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 and flight instructor were making touch-and-go landings when the engine lost power. Unable to glide to the runway, they made a forced landing in an open field. During the forced landing, the landing gear was sheared off and the firewall was buckled. The student sustained a serious injury and the flight instructor received minor injuries. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and reported the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. When electrical power was applied, the left fuel gauge registered empty. No fuel was observed in the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank had not been compromised and contained fuel.
Factual narrative
The pilot and flight instructor had been flying for over two hours, doing air work and making touch-and-go landings at Bridgeport (XBP), Alliance-Fort Worth (AFW), Meacham (FTW) and Hicks Airports (T67). Returning to XBP, they were making a final touch-and-go landing when the engine lost power. Unable to glide back to the runway, the flight instructor made a forced landing in a plowed field north of the airport. The airplane touched down hard, shearing off the landing gear, and sliding 60 feet before coming to a stop. The firewall was buckled. The flight instructor and pilot sustained minor injuries. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane and reported the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. When electrical power was applied, the left fuel gauge registered empty. One quart of fuel was drained from the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank had not been compromised and contained fuel.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8585M
- Reported as
- Beech P35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-7207
- Airframe hours
- 3,711
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-N, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael E. R Read
- Registered owner
- Michael E. R Read
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2012 · 43 hours before
- Departed
- KXBP · Bridgeport, TX
- Destination
- KXBP · Bridgeport, TX
- Airport
- KXBP · Bridgeport Municipal Airport, runway 35, 4,004 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 40 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KXBP
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 26, 2013, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 100 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.
Other investigations on N8585M · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.