CHI06FA090

The airplane impacted an embankment following a reported loss of engine power while on approach. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A witness stated, "The pilot of N8271D announced that he was 10 miles or so south of the airport and was inbound for runway 26. ... He replied that he would join 8 for a right downwind and would follow us in. ... The pilot of 71D continued to make radio calls announcing his progress in the traffic pattern. We were waiting at the end of the taxiway for 71D to land. We saw the landing lights as 71D turned to final. As we watched 7ID's progress on final, suddenly the lights simply disappeared. ... It did appear to me that 71D was at an unusually steep descent angle." The witness stated that the pilot said over the headset that the airplane lost engine power. She stated that the airplane was in a turn while on approach during the reported engine power loss. An on scene investigation revealed that the left and right auxiliary fuel tanks contained a fluid that exhibited a smell consistent with aviation gasoline (avgas). The left and right main fuel tanks did not contain any fluids. Flight control continuity and engine control continuity was established. The fuel tank selector was found in the detent selecting the left main tank. Air pressure was applied to the fuel supply line and air was heard escaping in the left main fuel tank. An inspection of the left main fuel tank revealed no anomalies. Battery power was applied to the electric fuel pump with the fuel selector selecting the left main tank and no fluids were observed exiting the fuel supply line to the engine driven fuel pump. The fuel selector was rotated to the detent for the auxiliary tank, battery power was applied to the electric fuel pump, and a fluid consistent with avgas exited from the same supply line. The engine's crankshaft propeller flange had separated from the crankshaft and remained attached to the propeller. A propeller flange was welded to the engine's crankshaft and the engine was test run with no anomalies detected.

History of flight

On March 6, 2006, about 2045 eastern standard time, a Beech J35, N8271D, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with a roadway embankment following a reported loss of engine power while on approach to runway 8 at the Tulip City Airport, near Holland, Michigan. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight plan was on file, was activated, and was closed. The passenger in the rear seat sustained minor injuries. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger in the front seat sustained serious injuries, were airlifted to a hospital, and died of their injuries. The flight originated from the Anderson Regional Airport (AND), near Anderson, South Carolina, about 1645.

A witness, who was a flight instructor, stated:

On Monday, March 6, 2006, a flight student and I were practicing

night takeoffs and landings at Tulip City Airport (BIV). The time

was between 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. It was a clear night with calm winds.

We had just departed runway 8 and had announced that we would

be remaining in the pattern. The pilot of N8271D announced that

he was 10 miles or so south of the airport and was inbound for

runway 26. We told 71D that we had just departed runway 8 and

were remaining in the pattern. He replied that he would join 8 for

a right downwind and would follow us in. We landed, exited the

runway and taxied back to the approach end of runway 8 for

another takeoff and landing. The pilot of 71D continued to make

radio calls announcing his progress in the traffic pattern. We were

waiting at the end of the taxiway for 71D to land. We saw the

landing lights as 71D turned to final. As we watched 7ID's

progress on final, suddenly the lights simply disappeared. I made a

radio call to 71D but received no reply. It did appear to me that 71D

was at an unusually steep descent angle. The pilot of 71D never

indicated that he was having a problem.

The passenger seated in the right rear seat stated that the pilot said over the headset that the airplane lost engine power. She stated that the airplane was in a turn while on approach during the reported engine power loss.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. The most recent medical certificate issued to the pilot was a third-class medical certificate issued on January 12, 2006, with no restrictions. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, his total reported aeronautical experience was 1,400 flight hours at the time of the application for that medical certificate.

The pilot rated passenger held a private pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single engine land, and instrument airplane. The most recent medical certificate issued to the pilot rated passenger was a third-class medical certificate issued on August 17, 2005, with restrictions to wear corrective lenses. The pilot rated passenger had reported accumulating 1,000 hours of total flight experience at the time of the application for that medical certificate.

Aircraft information

N8271D, a 1958-model Beech J35, Bonanza, was a low wing, all-metal, single-engine, V-tailed, four-place monoplane, which had retractable tricycle landing gear. The airplane was equipped with a fuel-injected, air-cooled, six-cylinder, horizontally-opposed, Continental IO-520-BA engine, serial number 200932-72BA, which was rated at 285 horsepower, and a Hartzell 3-bladed, all-metal, constant-speed propeller. According to the aircraft's maintenance records, the last recorded annual inspection was dated May 2, 2005, at a tachometer time of 1,923.66 hours. Major repair and alteration records showed that the engine and propeller installation on the aircraft was approved February 6, 1970, in accordance with supplemental type certificate SA686CE.

Fueling records, dated March 6, 2006, showed that 63.5 gallons of fuel was sold to N8271D at AND.

An excerpt from the airplane's flight manual, in part, stated:

Engine failure

The most probable cause of engine failure would be loss of

fuel flow or improper functioning of the ignition system.

Discrepancy checks

(Loss of engine power, loss of fuel flow, rough running

engine, etc.)

1. Rough Running Engine

a. Mixture - FULL RICH, then lean as required.

b. Ignition Switch - CHECK on BOTH position

2. Loss of Power

a. Fuel Pressure Gage - CHECK (fuel pressure abnormally low)

(1) Mixture - FULL RICH

(2) Auxiliary Fuel Pump - ON

(3) Auxiliary Fuel Pump - OFF if performance does

not improve in a few moments

b. Fuel Quantity Indicator - CHECK (Fuel tank being

used is empty)

(1) Select other tank (check to feel detent)...

Fuel system

...

Fuel cells

Fuel supply is carried in two bladder-type cells with a total

capacity of 20 gallons each, located in the wings just

outboard of the fuselage. Usable fuel of each 20 gallon

main tank is 17 gallons. ...

Auxiliary fuel cells

If installed an additional 19 gallons of usable fuel is

available in two auxiliary 10 gallon fuel cells in the wings,

outboard of the wheel wells. Both auxiliary cells are

connected to a common port in the fuel selector valve, so

that both feed simultaneously when the selector valve is

set to AUX.

The two optional 10-gallon auxiliary tanks may be filled

after removing the pressure-type filler caps, located aft

and outboard of the main tank filler caps. Do not overfill

the tanks. ...

Fuel tank selection

The fuel selector valve handle is located forward and to the

left of the pilot's seat. Take-offs should be made using the

left main tank and landings should be made using the main

tank that is more nearly full. In no case should a take-off be

made if the fuel indicators are in the yellow band or, with

less than 10 gallons of fuel in each main tank.

The fuel injection system returns about 10 gallons per

hour of excess fuel, fuel return lines are routed through

the selector valve to each main cell; except for the auxiliary

cells, fuel is returned to the cell from which it is drawn.

The auxiliary cells return fuel to the left main cell only. To

provide space for the returned fuel from the auxiliary cells,

the left main cell should be used to approximately half full

before switching to auxiliary.

Meteorological information

At 2153, the recorded weather at BIV was: Wind 330 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 1 degree C; dew point -3; altimeter 30.28 inches of mercury.

Airport information

The East Central US Airport/Facility Directory (A/FD) indicated BIV's field elevation was 698 feet above sea level. The A/FD listed one runway, 8/26. The A/FD showed that runway 8/26 was asphalt-surfaced, 6,263 feet long, and 100 feet wide.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane came to rest upright east of the crest of Ottawa Avenue about 1,700 feet west of runway 8. A trail of four parallel impressions in the mud and snow were observed in the field west of the accident site. The trail started about 56 feet west of the wreckage and led up to the wreckage on about a 080-degree magnetic heading. The trail ended at Ottawa Avenue's west embankment. A dirt, debris, and gravel trail continued across the road from that point to the airplane's resting spot. The trails in the mud and snow were in line with the airplane's landing gear and left tip tank. The airplane's propeller was found separated from the engine about thirty feet east of the airport's perimeter fence inline with the airplane's longitudinal axis. The engine's crankshaft propeller flange separated from the crankshaft and that flange remained attached to the propeller hub. The front cylinders of th