SEA98LA052

The pilot reported that on final, after being cleared to land, the engine quit without warning. Attempts to regain engine power, which included switching fuel tanks, were unsuccessful, and the pilot made a forced landing onto soft terrain 1/4 mile short of the runway. At the accident scene, 23 ounces of fuel were found in the left tank and 14 gallons of fuel were in the right tank. The pilot acknowledged that the power loss was due to fuel starvation, and stated that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved in the accident. He stated that at about the time he was to have switched to the right tank, he became occupied with donning oxygen on himself and his children, and that shortly afterward his daughter started not feeling well and complained of headaches. The pilot stated that this situation distracted him from his other pilot duties. The engine power loss occurred about 45 minutes after this event.

On March 24, 1998, approximately 1302 Pacific standard time, a Beech S35, N3MG, lost engine power and was forced-landed approximately 1/4 mile short of the runway while on visual approach to runway 32 at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport, Medford, Oregon. The airplane was substantially damaged in the forced landing, and the private pilot-in-command and two passengers (both children of the pilot) were not injured. The 14 CFR 91 flight departed Redlands, California (a straight-line distance of 565 nautical miles from Medford) at 0915. Visual meteorological conditions, with light rain, prevailed in the accident area, and the flight was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.

The pilot reported that he departed Redlands with 74 gallons of fuel on board. An FAA on-scene investigator reported that at the accident site, the aircraft's left fuel tank contained 23 ounces of fuel, and the right tank contained 14 gallons of fuel. The FAA investigator reported that there was no evidence of a fuel leak or breached fuel tank at the accident site. The FAA investigator reported that he checked the airplane's electric fuel pump after the accident, and that it provided good fuel pressure.

In his accident report to the NTSB, the pilot stated that on final approach for runway 32, after being cleared to land by Medford Tower, the engine quit without any warning. He stated that he tried switching tanks, a throttle and mixture adjustment, and an engine restart, all without success; he then had only enough time to land the airplane. He performed a forced landing onto a small, soft, level field on airport property. In his NTSB accident report, the pilot acknowledged that the engine power loss was due to fuel starvation, and reported that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved in the accident. He stated that at about the time he was to have switched to the right tank, he was occupied with donning oxygen on himself and his children, and that soon afterward, his daughter started not feeling well and complained of headaches. The pilot stated that his concern for his daughter distracted him from his other pilot duties. The engine power loss occurred about 45 minutes after this event.