ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 233748
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| Date: | Sunday 8 March 2020 |
| Time: | 09:00 LT |
| Type: |  Beechcraft V35 Bonanza |
| Owner/operator: | Air Jag LLC |
| Registration: | N581U |
| MSN: | D-8376 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1966 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5470 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-520-BA |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Destin Executive Airport (DSI/KDTS), FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Fort Smith Municipal Airport, AR (FSM/KFSM) |
| Destin, FL (DTS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The airplane was fueled to capacity the night before departure, which would have provided 74 usable gallons to conduct the anticipated 3-hour flight with about 20 gallons of fuel remaining upon landing. The pilot stated that he switched fuel tanks every 30 minutes during the flight, but could not recall which fuel tank he selected during his before landing checklist about 5 miles from the runway. Recorded engine data showed that, about 1 1/2 miles from the runway, the fuel flow decreased from about 14 gallons per hour to zero over the course of 12 seconds, resulting in a total loss of engine power. The pilot proceeded to switch fuel tanks, ensure the throttle was forward, the mixture was full rich, and the magnetos were on both as he attempted a restart, but was unsuccessful. He did not turn on the auxiliary fuel pump, as listed in the emergency procedures. The airplane collided with trees 2,000 ft from the runway, substantially damaging both wings. The pilot reported fuel leaking from the right wing after the accident, and there was an odor of fuel at the scene.
Postaccident examination revealed that the left fuel tank was ruptured, and the right fuel tank was void of fuel. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tank. There were a few ounces of fuel in the gascolator. An engine run was conducted, and the engine performed normally with no mechanical irregularities that would have precluded normal operation.
Although the pilot reported switching fuel tanks regularly during the flight, the accident is consistent with the pilot improperly managing the fuel during flight and consuming all the fuel in the left tank, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation shortly after the left fuel tank was selected.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA20LA122
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N581U
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N581U
Location
Images:
Media:
Amazingly 2 men & a dog came out of this situation unharmed when their plane had engine problems & landed in a tree short of the runway at Destin Airport. The crash is off airport property on Planet Drive. The FAA and NTSB are notified & will handle the investigation. ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/sJuxcBbrxy
— OkaloosaSheriff (@OCSOALERTS) March 8, 2020
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2020 17:15 | Goklerdeyiz.net | Added |
| 08-Mar-2020 18:45 | RobertMB | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 08-Mar-2020 19:32 | Geno | Updated [Time, Phase, Source] |
| 08-Mar-2020 20:05 | RobertMB | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Mar-2020 06:40 | RobertMB | Updated [Narrative] |
| 09-Mar-2020 10:37 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Source, Embed code, Photo] |
| 09-Mar-2020 14:54 | Captain Adam | Updated [Destination airport, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 10-Mar-2021 20:08 | harro | Updated [Nature] |
| 20-Jun-2021 06:09 | aaronwk | Updated [Time, Source, Narrative] |
| 01-Jul-2022 14:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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