# NTSB GAA15CA022: Beech A36, N900TM, New Market, IN, March 17, 2015

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: March 17, 2015, 11:05 local (15:05 UTC)
- Place: New Market, IN
- Coordinates: 39.946388, -86.92694 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9464&lon=-86.9269&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report November 5, 2015
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents
- Parties: FAA Indianapolis FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 90941
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA15CA022
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90941/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90941
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA022

## Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, and a loss of engine power en-route.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A36, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md)
- [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A36, 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md)
- [Fuel system: fuel pumps](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Not serviced/maintained; cases with it: [Beech A36, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 71 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01022822/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Beech A36, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A36, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 804 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech A36, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151604), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was being ferried for maintenance of its fuel system. About 15 minutes into the flight, the pilot reported that he intentionally emptied the right main fuel tank to facilitate maintenance at the destination airport. Subsequently, the airplane lost engine power and he maneuvered the airplane for landing in an open field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right rear wing spar. According to a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site, the fuel tanks were found void of fuel. The right tip tank had some fuel, but no usable fuel.

## Factual narrative

The pilot reported that the airplane was being ferried for maintenance of its fuel system. About 15 minutes into the flight, the pilot reported that he intentionally emptied the right main fuel tank to facilitate maintenance at the destination airport. Subsequently, the airplane lost engine power and he maneuvered the airplane for landing in an open field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right rear wing spar. According to a Federal Aviation Administration aviation safety inspector who examined the airplane at the accident site, the fuel tanks were found void of fuel. The right tip tank had some fuel, but no usable fuel.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N900TM](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N900TM), registered now, S/N E-1302, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Registry model: [Beech A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36) (registry code 1151604) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: E-1302
- Year built: 1978
- Airframe hours: 7389
- Engines: Continental IO-550 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Ferry, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 2, 2014, 131 hours before
- Departed: BAK, COLUMBUS, IN
- Destination: CFJ, CRAWFORDSVILLE, IN
- Airport: CFJ, Crawfordsville Muni, runway 04, 4,504 × 75 ft, dirt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Auto-pilot

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private, airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 30, 2013; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 8,273 total, 138 in this make and model, 7,609 as pilot in command, 39 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 16 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 39 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observed at: KLAF, 28 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20150317003089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150317003089A), Mar 17, 2015: Beech A36, Crawfordsville, IN, Substantial damage. On March 17, 2015, at approximately 1100 eastern daylight time, Beechcraft BE-36A N900TM experienced fuel starvation resulting in a forced landing one nautical…

## Docket (10 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 26, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90941. 17.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 9.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- Record of Conversation (Pilot) (item 2, .PDF, 67 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426877&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(Pilot)-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation (FAA Operations Inspector) (item 3, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426879&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA%20Operations%20Inspector)-Master.PDF
- Record of Conversation (FAA Airworthiness Inspector) (item 4, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426880&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20(FAA%20Airworthiness%20Inspector)-Master.PDF
- Record of Email (FAA Airworthiness Inspector) (item 5, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426881&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Email%20(FAA%20Airworthiness%20Inspector)-Master.PDF
- Photo 1 – View of airplane front right (photo courtesy of the FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 278 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426882&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20airplane%20front%20right%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 – View of airplane rear (photo courtesy of the FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 244 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426883&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20airplane%20rear%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 3 – View of airplane front left (photo courtesy of the FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 266 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426884&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20airplane%20front%20left%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 4 – View of right wing (photo courtesy of the FAA) (item 9, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426885&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20right%20wing%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20the%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 5 – View of right wing (photo courtesy of the mechanic) (item 10, .PDF, 6.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40426886&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20%E2%80%93%20View%20of%20right%20wing%20(photo%20courtesy%20of%20the%20mechanic)%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20-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.

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