- Date
- January 22, 2004, 19:16 local (Jan 23, 2004, 02:16 UTC)
- Place
- Farmington, NM
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8240UBeech A36
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Raytheon Aircraft Company, Federal Aviation Administration, Teledyne Continental Motors
- FAA report
- 20040123000849A
- Case key
- 58670
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 improper in-flight planning/decision making and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in fuel starvation/exhaustion and a stall spin.
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 private pilot departed Farmington at approximately 1500 for a 3-hour cross-country flight to Canyonlands, Utah, Page, Arizona, and then back to Farmington. The pilot returned to Farmington at approximately 1800. On his return, the pilot requested from the tower clearance to do a few take-offs and landings. He completed nine take-off and landings. Each landing was a full stop, taxi-back, and subsequent take-off (as required by a local training policy). At approximately 1910, the pilot contacted the tower and asked for clearance to take-off and fly the pattern for a tenth time. At approximately 1915, the pilot reported that he had lost engine power. Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying at a low altitude when its wings began to dip side to side. The airplane then pitched nose-up, rolled over, dove, and struck the roof of a police station. An examination of the airplane revealed approximately 4 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank, fuel in the fuel strainer, and no fuel in the lines. No other anomalies were found.
Factual narrative
On January 22, 2004, at approximately 1916 mountain standard time, a Beech A36, N8240U, was substantially damaged when it impacted a building following a loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing during a visual approach to Four Corners Regional Airport (FMN), Farmington, New Mexico. The private pilot sustained serious injuries. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight originated at approximately 1910.
According to a representative from San Juan Pilot Training, Inc., the pilot departed Farmington at approximately 1500 for a 3-hour cross-country flight to Canyonlands, Utah, Page, Arizona, and then back to Farmington. The pilot returned to the Farmington area at approximately 1800.
Upon his return, the private pilot contacted the tower and requested clearance to do take-offs and landings. He completed nine take-off, and landings on runway 25. Each landing was a full stop, taxi-back, and subsequent take-off (as required by a local training policy). At approximately 1910, the pilot contacted the tower and asked for clearance to take-off and fly the pattern for a tenth time. At approximately 1915, the pilot reported that he had lost engine power.
According to witnesses, the airplane was flying at a low altitude when its wings began to dip side to side. The airplane then pitched nose-up, rolled over, dove, and struck the roof of a police station. The impact crushed the nose section aft, and the leading edge of both wings.
An examination of the airplane at the scene showed that approximately 3 to 5 gallons of fuel had leaked from the airplane's tanks. The fuel selector lever was in the "left tank" position. A subsequent examination showed approximately 4 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank, fuel in the fuel strainer and filter, and no fuel in the lines.
Flight control continuity was confirmed and an examination of the engine and other airplane systems showed no anomalies.
According to the aircraft manufacturer, using a fuel calculation of 15 gallons per hour, and a total flight duration of 4.4 hours, the total calculated fuel used would be 66 gallons. Total useable fuel for the airplane is 74 gallons.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8240U
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-2665
- Airframe hours
- 1,689.7
- Engine
- Continental IO-550B, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- San Juan Pilot Training Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · January 8, 2004 · 30.3 hours before
- Departed
- FMN · Farmington, NM
- Destination
- FMN
- Airport
- FMN · Four Corners Regional
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
- 32
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Last flight review
- December 17, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 76 total · 76 in this make and model · 25 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.29 inHg
- Observed at
- KFMN, 1 nm away
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 N8240U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.