- Date
- July 6, 1993, 18:30 local (Jul 7, 1993, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Friday Harbor, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4084SBeech V35B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930706022589A
- Case key
- 41729
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
Fuel starvation and poor in-flight planning/decision.
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
At the end of a cross country flight, the engine lost power during the descent for landing. The airplane was unable to make it to the airport and an emergency landing was made on the beach. After the accident, it was noted that several gallons of fuel drained from the impact damaged right wing quick drain before the drain was plugged approximately 30 minutes later. The left wing was intact. Fuel drained from the left fuel tank revealed that one-half gallons of fuel remained. During the engine inspection, no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction. The pilot does not recall as to which fuel tank the fuel selector was positioned prior to the loss of power.
Factual narrative
On July 6, 1993, at 1830 Pacific daylight time, a Beech V35B, N4084S, experienced a loss of engine power during the descent for landing at Friday Harbor, Washington. The airplane was unable to make it to the runway so the pilot performed an emergency landing on the beach. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Aurora, Oregon, on July 6, 1993, at 1700, and was en route to Friday Harbor.
The pilot reported that the engine gradually lost power as if it was out of fuel. There were no other indications of a problem. The pilot made several attempts to restart the engine, however, they were unsuccessful. The pilot reported that he does not recall as to which fuel tank the fuel selector was positioned to prior to the loss of power.
After the accident, it was noted that the right wing quick drain was damaged and stuck in the open position. Several gallons of fuel leaked from the drain before it was plugged approximately 30 minutes later. The left wing was intact and no fuel was noted to be leaking.
During the removal of the airplane from the beach, the fuel was drained from the fuel tanks. Approximately one-half gallons of fuel were drained from the left fuel tank, and one-and-a-half gallons were drained from the right fuel tank.
During the engine inspection, no evidence was found to indicate a mechanical failure or malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4084S
- Reported as
- Beech V35B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-9729
- Airframe hours
- 1,558
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Allred, Douglas R.
- Registered owner
- Allred, Douglas R.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 26, 1993 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- 3S2 · Aurora, OR
- Airport
- FHR · Friday Harbor
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,636 total · 2,206 in this make and model · 10 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NUW, 18 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.