- Date
- April 4, 1994, 16:15 local (21:15 UTC)
- Place
- Anderson, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9597RBeech 35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940404011029A
- Case key
- 9502
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor related to the accident was the rough terrain encountered following the loss of control.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was unable to drain fuel from the right tip tank during the flight due to a fuel system venting problem. He stated the airplane became very hard to control during the traffic pattern. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway into rough terrain where the nose gear collapsed.
Factual narrative
On April 4, 1994, at 1615 eastern standard time, a Beech BE-35, N9597R, registered to Robert Trindel, experienced a nose gear collapse following a loss of directional control while landing on runway 18 at the Anderson Municipal Airport, Anderson, Indiana, while on a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged and the pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Leesburg, Florida, on April 4, 1994, at 1200 edt.
The pilot stated he periodically switched fuel tanks during the flight to establish an even fuel burn. However, he stated he was unable to drain the 20 gallons of fuel which was in the right tip tank. The pilot reported that he continued on to his destination of Anderson, Indiana. The pilot was cleared for a right base leg for runway 18. The pilot stated he switched to the left tank while entering the pattern and the airplane became "extremely hard to control." The airplane touched down on runway 18 and during the landing roll it traveled off the right side of the runway, into rough terrain where the nose gear collapsed.
Post accident inspection revealed the fuel system was not venting properly which resulted in the lack of ability to drain fuel from the right tip tank. Local winds reported 30 minutes prior to the accident were from 200 degrees at 12 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9597R
- Reported as
- Beech 35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D6191
- Airframe hours
- 6,040
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-C, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert Trindel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 24, 1994
- Departed
- LEE · Leesburg, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- AID · Anderson Muni, runway 18, 3,399 × 75 ft, concrete
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
- 70
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 928 total · 733 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AID
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 N9597R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.