# NTSB LAX01LA072: Beech V35B, N4002A, Mesa, AZ, January 10, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 10, 2001, 13:07 local (20:07 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Coordinates: 33.429855, -111.710708 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4299&lon=-111.7107&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 50881 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50881/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA072 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper fuel management in cruise flight that resulted in a loss of engine power, because of fuel starvation, and a collision with a fence during the subsequent forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, cruise - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause) - fuel management - improper, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - fence (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot reported that about 5 miles from the field the engine began to surge while feeding from the left tank. He switched to the right tank and turned on the boost pump, but could not regain power on the engine. He made a gear-up forced landing on a canal bank and struck a fence. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane at the scene reported the left fuel tank contained approximately 1 quart and the right tank appeared 1/2 full. The airplane was recovered to an aircraft storage facility. A vented fuel tank was connected to the fuel selector valve inlet for the left tank. With left tank selected, the engine was started and run for approximately 5 minutes. ## Factual narrative On January 10, 2001, at 1307 hours mountain standard time, a Beech V35B, N4002A, sustained substantial damage when it lost power and landed in a field approximately 5 miles east of Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. The aircraft was operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 by a commercial pilot, who along with one passenger, suffered minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed from Marana Northwest Regional Airport about 1200. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the Scottsdale, Arizona, Flight Standards District Office responded to the accident site and interviewed the pilot and examined the airplane. The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight using the left fuel tank when the engine lost power. He switched to the right tank and turned on the boost pump but was unable to restart the engine and landed gear up in a canal striking a fence. The FAA inspector reported that the left fuel tank contained about 1 quart of fuel and the right tank was approximately 1/2 full. The airplane was recovered to an aircraft storage facility. A vented fuel tank was connected to the fuel selector valve inlet for the left tank. With left tank selected, the engine started, and was run for approximately 5 minutes. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4002A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4002A-2002-04-26), registration cancelled 2002-04-26, S/N D-9097, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech V35B - Registry model: [Beech V35B](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-v35b) (registry code 1151548) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 9097 - Airframe hours: 3063 - Engines: Continental IO-520B 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Darrell D. Hissem - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 17, 2000, 43 hours before - Departed: AVQ, Marana, AZ - Destination: FFZ, Mesa, AZ - Airport: FFZ, Falcon Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 16, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 3,506 total, 1,880 in this make and model, 3,432 as pilot in command, 36 in the last 90 days, 27 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 6 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 54 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: FFZ, 5 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 20010110000439A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010110000439A), Jan 10, 2001: Beech V35B, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot stated that he ran the left fuel tank until engine quit. Then switched to right tank that held approx. 22 gal. Of fuel. Engine did not respond to… 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.