# NTSB LAX05LA279: Beech 35-A33, N337Z, Alturas, CA, August 25, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 25, 2005, 07:50 local (14:50 UTC) - Place: Alturas, CA - Coordinates: 41.483055, -120.565277 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4831&lon=-120.5653&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report May 29, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 62334 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05LA279 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62334/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05LA279 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power for undertermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, descent - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane impacted terrain and a fence during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. According to the pilot, he checked the fuel tanks prior to departing on the flight and noted that the right main fuel tank was full, the left main tank was "partial", both auxiliary tanks were full and the tip tanks were empty. He flew the airplane to the destination airport utilizing the left fuel tank. As the flight neared the destination airport, the pilot switched the fuel tank selector from the left to the right tank. The engine began sputtering and lost power. The pilot turned on the fuel boost pump but the engine power did not improve. During the forced landing at the destination airport, the airplane landed short, bounced in the air and impacted a fence before coming to rest. According to a mechanic who examined the airplane after the accident, the left main fuel tank was empty and the right main fuel tank was almost full. ## Factual narrative On August 25, 2005, at 0750 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 35-A33 single-engine airplane, N337Z, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power at the Alturas Municipal Airport, Alturas, California. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot under the auspices of 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The pilot, sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated from Montague, California, at 0705. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot indicated he was flying to Alturas to participate in aerial fire fighting operations. The flight to Alturas was uneventful, and while at 7,500 feet, about 10 miles from the airport, he reduced power for descent. The engine lost power and continued to "sputter" during the entire descent. The pilot reported that the fuel flow was "real low." He went through the emergency procedures by turning the fuel boost pump on and switched the fuel selector from the left to the right; however, was only able to obtain a "bit of power." He then secured the airplane for landing. When asked to clarify whether or not the engine lost power before or after he switched fuel tanks, the pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks from the left to the right, reduced engine power for the descent, and then the engine lost power. He said he knew the left fuel tank was near empty when he switched to the right tank. He added that the right tank and auxiliary tanks were near full when he switched and after losing engine power, he tried the other fuel tanks. The airplane impacted terrain and a fence, structurally damaging the left rear spar and leading edge of the right wing. The firewall was damaged and the engine was displaced from its mount. The pilot provided a written statement regarding the events that preceded the accident. According to his statement, he conducted a preflight inspection and noticed that the right main fuel tank was full, the left main tank was "partial", and both auxiliary fuel tanks were full. He conducted an engine run-up and departed for Alturas. The pilot flew the airplane to Alturas utilizing the left fuel tank, and switched fuel tanks from the left to the right when the airplane was about 10 miles from the airport. The pilot maneuvered the airplane on base for runway 13 and reduced power for the descent to the airport. At that point in the flight, the engine began to "lose power and sputter" so the pilot applied full throttle and mixture, and moved the propeller control to the full forward position. The pilot also turned the fuel boost pump to the ON position and noted the fuel pressure rise to "the 6-7 range [6 to 7 psi]." According to the pilot, the engine continued to sputter so the pilot repositioned the fuel selector back to the left fuel tank, but did not notice the engine improve. The pilot continued to utilize the boost pump and manipulate the throttle control, but could not develop full power. He kept the landing gear retracted and lined up for the runway. When he lowered the landing gear, the descent rate increased and the airplane landed short of the runway, bounced into the air, crossed over a road and hit a chain link fence. When the airplane came to rest, the pilot shut down the airplane and exited. According to a mechanic who repositioned the airplane to the airport ramp area following the accident, the left main fuel tank was empty and the right main fuel tank was about full. According to the pilot's statement, he accumulated a total of 3,955 hours of flight time, of which 4.2 hours were accumulated in the accident airplane make and model. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N337Z](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N337Z-2007-03-12), registration cancelled 2007-03-12, S/N CD-228, built 1960 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 35-A33 - Registry model: [Beech 35-A33](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-a33) (registry code 1151404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental I0-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (registry code 17027, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CD-228 - Airframe hours: 8615 - Engines: Continental IO-470-K 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Robert A. Paananen - Registered owner: Thomas H. Palmer - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 1, 2004, 240 hours before - Departed: SIY, Montague, CA - Destination: AAT, Alturas, CA - Airport: AAT, Alturas Municipal, runway 13, 4,301 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2005; seat: left; flight hours: 3,955 total, 3,734 as pilot in command, 185 in the last 90 days, 52 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F ## 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 20050825020299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050825020299A), Aug 25, 2005: Beech 35A33, Alturas, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The pilot stated that he switched fuel to the fullest tank for descent in preparation for landing at aat. The engine operation became rough witha loss of… ## Other investigations on N337Z (1) 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. - [NTSB OAK69D0144](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OAK69D0144), Sep 22, 1968: Beech 35-A33 (N337Z), Reno, NV, substantial damage 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.