Pilot Debrief

BEECH H35 near Fredericksburg, PA — 2009-09-09

Final reportERA09LA512
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Date
2009-09-09
Location
Fredericksburg, PA, USA
Airport
9N7
Aircraft
BEECH H35
Registration
N5469D
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the pilot's mismanagement of available fuel.

NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he took off with 10 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot operating handbook stated that 10 gallons of fuel in each tank was required. Enroute, the engine lost power, and the pilot performed a forced landing in a residential area about 1,500 feet from an airport runway. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed that the fuel selector was on the right tank, and that there was no fuel in either tank, although any remaining fuel from the left tank could have leaked out when the wing separated from the fuselage. The fuel feed system on the airplane provided, depending on power settings, 6 to 25 gallons per hour of fuel return to the left tank, and the airplane flew 20 to 25 minutes. Although the loss of engine power occurred at a relatively low altitude, there was no evidence that the pilot attempted to utilize the fuel remaining in the left tank either before or after the event.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have verified fuel levels before takeoff to ensure adequate fuel for flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 4 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents4

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