- Date
- August 4, 1997, 10:18 local (15:18 UTC)
- Place
- Pollock, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N24PSBeech C24R
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970804046859A
- Case key
- 20302
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 loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's improper use of the fuel selector. Factors were the pilot's failure to use the checklist and 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
During cruise flight, at 5,500 feet AGL, the engine lost power. A forced landing was performed to a pipeline right-of-way, and during the landing roll the wheels of the aircraft encountered some soft ground and spun around structurally damaging the right wing and fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the left wing tank. The left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank contained approximately 20 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that he 'forgot to switch tanks.' The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the aircraft states in Section III, Emergency Procedures, page 3-3, Engine Failure After Lift off And In Flight, 'Fuel Selector - SELECT OTHER TANK.'
Factual narrative
On August 4, 1997, at 1018 central daylight time, a Beech C24R airplane, N24PS, registered to and operated by a private owner, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Pollock, Louisiana. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal, cross country flight. A flight plan was not filed for the flight that originated in Muskogee, Oklahoma.
The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that he was on a cross country flight from Muskogee, Oklahoma, to New Orleans, Louisiana. During cruise flight, at 5,500 feet AGL, the engine lost power. A forced landing was performed to a pipeline right-of-way, and during the landing roll, the wheels of the aircraft encountered some soft ground and spun around.
The pilot further reported that he "forgot to switch tanks." The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the aircraft states in Section III, Emergency Procedures, page 3-3, ENGINE FAILURE AFTER LIFT OFF AND IN FLIGHT, "Fuel Selector - SELECT OTHER TANK."
Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the left wing tank. The left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank contained approximately 20 gallons of fuel. The propeller was bent, the nose and right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing and empennage were substantially damaged.
Attempts to obtain a completed Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2, were unsuccessful.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24PS
- Reported as
- Beech C24R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- MC-681
- Airframe hours
- 2,948
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1B6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Robertson
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1997 · 8 hours before
- Departed
- MKO · Muskogee, OK
- Destination
- NEW · New Orleans, LA
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
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 630 total · 28 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ESF, 10 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.