# NTSB LAX99LA094: Beech F33, N8253C, Prescott, AZ, February 18, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 18, 1999, 07:30 local (14:30 UTC) - Place: Prescott, AZ - Coordinates: 34.489078, -112.439842 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.4891&lon=-112.4398&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 45822 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX99LA094 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/45822/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA094 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - rough/uneven - terrain condition - ditch ## Analysis The pilot was in cruise flight at 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine began to run rough. He verified the engine power controls were in their normal positions. Then the engine quit, and he noted the fuel pressure was reading zero. He turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and tried the restart procedure. Fuel pressure was still zero and the engine was wind milling at 1,600 rpm. He switched tanks and kept the auxiliary fuel pump on. The restart procedure was tried again, but fuel pressure remained zero. He attempted a glide to a dirt landing strip but had insufficient altitude and landed several hundred feet short in rough terrain; the nose gear collapsed when it encountered a ditch. Fuel quantity was verified on scene with the left tank full and the right tank at the bottom of the filler neck. The airframe and engine were examined following recovery and a 5-gallon fuel supply was attached to the right wing fuel system. The fuel selector valve was checked and operated normally. The boost pump was operated and the fuel pressure was observed in the normal range. The engine was primed, started, and run through the complete power range. A 50-rpm drop was observed when each magneto was checked at 1,700 rpm. Normal fuel flows were observed and leaning of the mixture was normal. No mechanical problems were encountered during the engine run and the engine shut down normally. ## Factual narrative On February 18, 1999, about 0730 hours mountain standard time, a Beech F33, N8253C, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing approximately 40 miles west of Prescott, Arizona. The forced landing was precipitated by a loss of engine power during cruise. The airplane was owned and operated by Airline Training Center Arizona, Inc., under 14 CFR Part 91 as an instructional flight. The private pilot and his pilot rated passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane departed its home base in Goodyear, Arizona, about 0640, for a cross-country flight to Palm Springs, California. The route of flight was to take them to Drake VOR, then Kingman, Arizona, and on to Palm Springs. The company reported that two pilots would fly a cross-country together; one would fly the outbound leg and the other the return. The pilot stated he was in cruise flight west of the Drake VOR at 8,500 mean sea level (msl) when the engine began to run rough. He verified the engine power controls were in their normal positions. Then the engine quit, and he noted the fuel pressure was reading zero. He turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and tried the restart procedure. Fuel pressure was still zero and the engine was wind milling at 1600 rpm (revolutions per minute). He stated he switched tanks and kept the auxiliary fuel pump on. The restart procedure was tried again, but fuel pressure remained zero. He attempted a glide to the Hill Ranch dirt landing strip, elevation 5,700 feet. He could not make it to the strip and landed several hundred feet short in rough terrain. The nose gear folded under, the left wing was crushed, and one propeller blade was damaged. The pilot secured the cockpit and followed the passenger out of the airplane. According to the company a standard policy was for pilots to switch fuel tanks with every heading change. During the course of this flight the tanks had been changed several times and the engine operated normally. Tanks had last been switched 6 to 8 minutes before the occurrence. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector on scene verified the left tank was full and the right tank was down to the bottom of the filler neck. On April 9, 1999, a FAA airworthiness inspector examined the airplane at Air Transport in Phoenix, Arizona. The airplane was secured on a trailer and a serviceable propeller was installed. Both wings were off and a 5-gallon fuel supply was attached to the fuel system at the right wing root fuel line fitting. The inspector noted the fuel selector valve was checked and operated normally. The engine was primed, started, and run through the complete power range. A 50-rpm drop was observed when each magneto was checked at 1,700 rpm. The inspector observed normal fuel flows and said leaning of the mixture was normal. No mechanical problems were encountered during the engine run and the engine shut down normally. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8253C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8253C), registered now, S/N CE-1546, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech F33 - Registry model: [Beech F33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (registry code 1151425) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CE-1546 - Airframe hours: 9377 - Engines: Continental IO-520 285 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Airline Training Center, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 1999, 35 hours before - Departed: GYR, GOODYEAR, AZ - Destination: PSP, PALM SPRINGS, CA - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 23; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 112 total, 46 in this make and model, 80 as pilot in command, 46 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 18 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: PRC, 40 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 19990218018139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990218018139A), Feb 18, 1999: Beech F33A, Prescott, AZ, Substantial damage. (.19) On February 18, 1999, about 0735 hours mountain standard time, a Beech F33, N8253C, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing approximately 30… 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.