# NTSB WPR10LA053: Beech 35-B33, N9617Y, Chico, CA, November 11, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 10, 2009, 17:35 local (Nov 11, 2009, 01:35 UTC) - Place: Chico, CA - Coordinates: 39.790279, -121.858612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7903&lon=-121.8586&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report May 5, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO, Teledyne Continental Motors - NTSB case key (mKey): 75043 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR10LA053 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/75043/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75043 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR10LA053 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power during final approach for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Aircraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified; cases with it: [Beech 35-B33, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md?model=1151406), [All aircraft, 151 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01050000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 35-B33, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1151406), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 35-B33, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1151406), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Beech 35-B33, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1151406), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 35-B33, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, she filled the fuel tanks prior to departure for the cross-country flight. She switched the fuel selector position every 30 minutes during the flight in an effort to alternate between tanks. She switched to the fullest (left) tank while on approach to the airport. The airplane was on a stable glide path with the gear and flaps down, mixture rich, and propeller at low pitch. On final approach, about 100 feet above ground level, the engine experienced a loss of power. Despite the pilot’s efforts, which included switching to the right tank and turning the fuel boost pump to the "on" position, the engine would not restart. The pilot banked to the right to avoid the runway approach lights and the wing tip subsequently struck the ground. The airplane tumbled in a cartwheel-type maneuver before coming to a stop in a nose-down attitude. First responders observed no fuel in the right wing fuel tank and drained about 12.5 gallons of fuel from the left wing fuel tank. During a postaccident examination, with the airplane in a level attitude, investigators drained 10 gallons of fuel from the right fuel tank and found fuel in the gascolator. Investigators discovered no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine. ## Factual narrative On November 10, 2009, about 1735 Pacific standard time, a Beech 35-B33, N9617Y, made a forced landing short of runway 13L at Chico Municipal Airport, Chico, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The certificated private pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and right wing from impact forces. The cross-country personal flight departed Portland, Oregon, about 1430, with Chico as a planned fuel stop. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that the fuel tanks were topped off at Portland, and she switched tanks every 30 minutes during the flight. She switched to the fullest tank (left) while completing the pre-landing checklist on approach to Chico. The pilot was cleared inbound for a straight in approach to runway 13L. She stated that she was on a stable glide path with the landing gear and flaps down, mixture rich, and propeller in. On final approach at 100 feet above ground level (agl), the engine lost power. She was initially restrained by her shoulder harness, but was able to move and switched to the right fuel tank; the engine did not respond. The last row of the runway approach lights were in her path, so she raised the flaps. She tried, but was not sure that she activated the fuel boost pump, because she had to maneuver away from the approach lights. As the airplane banked to the right, the wing tip dug in, and the airplane cartwheeled to the right before coming to a stop. The airplane touched down about 200 yards short of the runway on airport property. The pilot stated that the windscreen was broken, the doors were jammed, and the pilot window was broken. The two occupants had to break remaining pieces from the pilot window in order to exit the airplane. First responders reported that the airplane came to rest nose down with the tail about 20 feet in the air. The magnetos and battery switch were still on. They observed a fuel and oil leak from the engine. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was on, and could not be shut off by the reset button on the instrument panel. The right wing was damaged; they observed no fuel in it, and could not determine if fuel had leaked out during the impact sequence. They drained 12.5 gallons of fuel from the left wing tank, but could not determine how much fuel remained in the tank, because of the steep angle of the wing. TEST AND RESEARCH Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board and Teledyne Continental Motors examined the wreckage at a recovery facility. Airframe A visual examination revealed that the left and right main fuel tanks were not breached. The fuel selector valve (FSV) was positioned to the right main tank. The FSV moved freely from the right to the left and to the OFF positions. The boost pump was in the ON position. Approximately 10gallons of a blue fluid that smelled like aviation fuel was drained from the right tank. Fluid that smelled like aviation fuel was drained from the gascolator; the screen was clean. Fuel check valves in both wings and in the engine compartment worked properly. The vents were open. The fuel line was disconnected at the selector valve, air was blown through the line, and fluid came out of the fuel line to the inlet side of the fuel pump in the engine compartment. Engine The engine separated in the collision sequence. The spark plugs were removed and all appeared clean with no mechanical deformation. The spark plug electrodes were elliptical, slightly oily, and gray, which corresponded to normal operation according to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug AV-27 Chart. A borescope inspection revealed no mechanical deformation on the valves, cylinder walls, or internal cylinder head. The crankshaft was manually rotated with the propeller. The crankshaft rotated freely, and the valves moved in firing order. The gears in the accessory case turned freely. Thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders in firing order. The magnetos were manually rotated, and both magnetos produced spark at all posts. The engine driven fuel pump drive gear was undamaged, and the pump rotated freely. The fuel pump functionally tested satisfactory; fluid flowed freely through the pump with rotation. Liquid was in the fuel distribution valve. The rubber diaphragm in the fuel distribution valve was unbroken, the screen was clean, and no contaminants were observed. The fuel injector nozzles for cylinders number one, two, and three were clean; nozzles four, five, and six were oily. The fuel control screen was clear. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9617Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9617Y-2010-04-21), registration cancelled 2010-04-21, S/N CD-583, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 35-B33 - Registry model: [Beech 35-B33](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-b33) (registry code 1151406) (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-583 - Airframe hours: 3774 - Engines: Teledyne Continental Motors IO-470 225 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: William P and Maureen Griggs - Registered owner: William P and Maureen Griggs - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 28, 2009, 10 hours before - Departed: HIO, Portland, OR - Destination: CIC, Chico, CA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CIC, Chico, runway 13L, 6,724 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: minor; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 17, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 1,277 total, 950 in this make and model, 1,099 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 6 knots - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 18,000 ft overcast - Altimeter: 29.92 inHg - Observed at: KCIC ## 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 20091110053659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091110053659A), Nov 10, 2009: Beech 35-B33, Chico, CA, Substantial damage. Pilot stated that while on final approach at the airport of destination, the engine stopped producing power. She immediately switched gas tanks but the engine… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 17, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=75043. 1.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 711 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323250&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weight and Balance Form (item 2, .PDF, 26 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40323251&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weight%20and%20Balance%20Form-Master.PDF - Wreckage Examination Notes (item 3, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40341059&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Wreckage%20Examination%20Notes-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 4, .PDF, 335 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340640&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF 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.