# NTSB CEN22LA343: Beech E33A, N7555N, Zena, OK, July 21, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: July 20, 2022, 23:30 local (Jul 21, 2022, 04:30 UTC) - Place: Zena, OK - Coordinates: 36.4962, -94.8536 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4962&lon=-94.8536&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105583 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA343 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105583/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105583 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA343 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection and fuel planning, and improper in-flight decision making which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1151424), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1151424), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=1151424), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech E33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1151424), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Beech E33A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1151424), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis After about 2.5 hours of cross-country night flight, the engine lost all power near an airport where the pilot planned to refuel. The pilot stated that he thought that he ran out of fuel and executed a forced landing to a vegetated field about 1 mile from the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and front of the fuselage. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The left-wing tank was found dry and the right fuel tank was found with about 1 inch of unusable fuel at the accident site. The fuel selector switch was found in the left fuel tank position. The pilot did not know how much fuel was onboard the airplane at the time of departure and had delayed refueling the airplane due to the price of fuel. ## Factual narrative On July 20, 2022, about 2330 central daylight time, a Beech E33A airplane, N7555N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Zena, Oklahoma. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot reported that he was enroute on a night cross-country flight that originated from Colorado Springs, Colorado. The pilot did not recall how much fuel was onboard the airplane when he departed Colorado Springs. His destination was Siloam Springs, Arkansas. However, he planned to refuel at the South Grand Lake Regional Airport (1K8), Ketchum, Oklahoma, because the fuel was less expensive there than it was at Colorado Springs. After about 2.5 hours of flight, he thought that he was going to run out of fuel. Near his destination, he tried to make the airport, but the engine lost all power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field about 1 mile from 1K8, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and front of the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The propeller assembly was turned by hand and normal thumb compression was attained. The spark plugs exhibited normal wear. Engine valve- and drive-train continuity was confirmed to the engine accessory section. The throttle body and mixture control connections and linkages in the cockpit and engine were intact. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the flight control surfaces. The left wing fuel tank was found dry. About 1 inch of fuel was found in the right wing fuel tank. There appeared to be no leaks from either fuel tanks at the accident site, and no fuel blight was present on the ground. The fuel selector switch was found in the left fuel tank position. NTSB form 6120 Pilot/Operator reports were not received from the pilot or the owner. The owner of the airplane reported that he had sold the airplane after the accident and could not provide maintenance records. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7555N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N7555N), registered now, S/N CE-197, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH E33A - Registry model: [Beech E33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e33a) (registry code 1151424) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CE-197 - Year built: 1968 - Airframe hours: 5975 - Engines: Continental IO-520-BA 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Reinhardt Robert F Jr - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2022 - Departed: COS, Colorado Springs, CO - Destination: SJG, Siloam Springs, AR - Equipment: ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: none; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 14, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 11,645 total, 97 in this make and model, 212 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: KGMJ, 9 nm away - METAR: KGMJ 210435Z AUTO 00000KT CLR 27/16 A2989 RMK AO2 PWINO ## 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 20220720014269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220720014269A), Jul 20, 2022: Beech E33A, Zena, OK, Substantial damage. Decending from 12000 to 10000 the pilot reported the engine had a loss of power. Pilot stated he attempted corrective action with no performance changes, the… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 25, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105583. 1.5 MB in all. - Memorandum for the record NTSB iic and pilot telephone call summary (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16963531&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20NTSB%20IIC%20and%20Pilot%20Telephone%20Call%20Summary%20CEN22LA343-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for the record FAA on site examination summary (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 90 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16964310&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20the%20Record%20FAA%20On%20Site%20Examination%20Summary%20CEN22LA343-Rel.pdf - Email between airplane owner and NTSB iic regarding NTSB form 6120 (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 160 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16964239&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20Between%20Airplane%20Owner%20and%20NTSB%20IIC%20Regarding%20NTSB%20Form%206120%20CEN22LA343_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16964476&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20CEN22LA343-Rel.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.