- Date
- June 25, 1995, 18:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mcallen, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3737BBeech 77
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19950625022899I
- Case key
- 19470
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 dual student's failure to properly operate the throttle and the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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
According to the flight instructor,during recovery from a simulated forced landing at about 600 feet AGL, the student pilot 'shoved the throttle full forward thereby depriving the engine of fuel.' The flight instructor executed a forced landing; however, the aircraft struck a fence post and the airplane came to rest inverted.
Factual narrative
On June 25, 1995, at 1830 central daylight time, a Beech 77, N3737B, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near McAllen, Texas. The certificated flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight operated by Volare Aviation. The flight originated at Miller International Airport in McAllen, Texas, at 1800 and no flight plan was filed.
The flight instructor reported, in the enclosed Pilot/Operator Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that he simulated an engine failure at 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The student pilot performed the emergency checklist and began to search for possible landing sites. "At approximately 400-600 feet MSL, I instructed the student to initiate a go-around. The student; however, shoved the throttle full forward, thereby depriving the engine of fuel. The engine both hesitated and sputtered...Despite my efforts, which were limited by the lack of engine thrust, the aircraft struck a fence pole and flipped over mid-air and landed on its back."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3737B
- Reported as
- Beech 77
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- WA-172
- Airframe hours
- 3,192
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Volare Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 8, 1995 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- MFE
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
- 37
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 2,064 total · 186 in this make and model · 1,918 as pilot in command · 183 in the last 90 days · 69 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.