# NTSB DEN02LA064: Beech 35, N404B, Cortez, CO, June 29, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2002, 10:13 local (16:13 UTC) - Place: Cortez, CO - Coordinates: 37.302776, -108.628051 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3028&lon=-108.6281&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 16, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 55095 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN02LA064 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55095/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55095 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02LA064 ## Probable cause an inadvertent stall as the pilot attempted to clear a cliff and ravine and avoid power lines, resulting in a collision with the ground. Contributing factors were a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, a leaking carburetor and fuel pump, and the cliff, ravine, and power lines. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - fuel system,carburetor - leak (contributing factor) - fuel system,pump - leak (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - base leg/base to final - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - cliff - terrain condition - ravine - object - wire,transmission - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The pilot took off at 0638, drawing fuel from the left main tank. At 0739, he switched to the right main tank. At 0840, he switched to the auxiliary fuel tank. As he approached his destination, the pilot noted that the main fuel tanks were half full and the auxiliary fuel tank was over half full. He reduced power and began a slow descent. As he approached the traffic pattern, he switched back to the left main fuel tank. On approach, he lowered the landing gear and as he started to lower the flaps, he noticed the airspeed had decreased so he added power. The airplane "started to wobble and became hard to handle," so the pilot applied full power. The airspeed "was not responding very quickly." He confirmed the fuel selector was on the left tank and the fuel boost pump was on. After clearing a rock wall cliff and ravine, the pilot flew underneath power lines and the airplane struck the ground. Flow testing of the carburetor at 10 pounds psi revealed an external leak at the idle diaphragm. Further tests indicated the carburetor would run rich at low power settings and lean at high power settings. The fuel pump was able to maintain 20 gph at 10 psi and 500 rpm. At 1,000 rpm, a leak was noted at the lower splitline surface. At 2,500 rpm, the fuel pump maintained 160 gph at 12 psi. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2002, at 1013 mountain daylight time, a Beech 35, N404B, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it struck the terrain during an uncontrolled descent at Cortez, Colorado. The private pilot received minor injuries, but his passenger was seriously injured. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Winslow, Arizona, at 0638. According to the pilot's accident report, he departed Ryan Airfield at 0638 Pacific daylight time, en route to Bedrock, Colorado, northwest of Nucla, via Winslow, Arizona, and Cortez, Colorado. Fuel was drawn from the left main tank. At 0739, the pilot switched to the right main tank. At 0840, the pilot switched to the auxiliary fuel tank. The pilot said that the main fuel tanks were one-half full and the auxiliary fuel tank was over one-half full as he approached Cortez Airport. When he was 9 miles from the airport, he reduced power and began a 500 fpm (feet per minute) descent. As he approached the traffic pattern, he switched back to the left main fuel tank. Midfield, on the downwind leg, he slowed the airplane to 100 mph and lowered the landing gear. He turned onto the base leg, then onto the final approach. When he started to lower the flaps, he noticed the airspeed had dropped from 85 to 80 mph and he added power. The pilot said the airplane "started to wobble and became hard to handle," so he applied full power. The airspeed "was not responding very quickly." He confirmed the fuel selector was on the left tank and the fuel boost pump was on. Fuel pressure read 7 psi (pounds per square inch). "The airplane was becoming extremely hard to handle," he wrote. After clearing a rock wall cliff and ravine, the pilot saw power lines ahead. He pushed the nose down to increase airspeed and flew underneath the wires [Witnesses told the FAA inspector that the airplane appeared to stall]. When he applied back pressure on the control yoke, the airplane would not pull up and struck the ground and spun around. The pilot said he found the right cabin door open and his wife missing. She was found on the ground nearby. Evidence at the site indicated the airplane struck the ground in a right wing low, nose low attitude and skidded 75 feet. The passenger's seatbelt was found unfastened. On August 6, 2002, the fuel pump and carburetor were bench checked at Airmotive Carburetor Company under the auspices of an FAA inspector. Flow testing at 10 pounds per square inch (psi) revealed an external leak at the idle diaphragm. Further tests indicated the carburetor would run rich at low power settings and lean at high power settings. The fuel pump was test run at 500 rpm and it maintained 20 gallons per minute (gph) at 10 psi. At 1,000 rpm, an "excessive" external leak was noted at the lower splitline surface. At 2,500 rpm, the fuel pump maintained 160 gph at 12 psi. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N404B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N404B-2012-11-15), registration cancelled 2012-11-15, S/N D-1409, built 1948 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 35 - Registry model: [Beech 35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35) (registry code 1151502) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental E185 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (registry code 17014, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D-1409 - Airframe hours: 5555 - Engines: Continental E-185-1 185 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kim W. Hutsell - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 14, 2001, 48 hours before - Departed: RYN, Tucson, AZ - Destination: CEZ, Cortez, CO - Airport: CEZ, Cortez Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; student; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 14, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 731 total, 30 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: CEZ ## 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 20020629015699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020629015699A), Jun 29, 2002: Beech 35BEECH, Cortez, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot reported that he switched fuel tanks from the aux to the right fuel tank just prior to entering the downwind leg for landing at cez airport. During… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 7, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=55095. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 789 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449317&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 40 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170774&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 15 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40170775&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - FAA Report on Functional Tests (item 4, .PDF, 209 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449318&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Report%20on%20Functional%20Tests-Master.PDF - Continental Powerplant Report (item 5, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40449319&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Continental%20Powerplant%20Report-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.