Pilot Debrief

BEECH H35 near Georgetown, TX — 2023-07-23

Final reportCEN23LA318
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Date
2023-07-23
Location
Georgetown, TX, USA
Airport
GTU
Aircraft
BEECH H35
Registration
N365B
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.

NTSB narrative

After the airplane was fueled, the pilot and two passengers completed an uneventful 33-minute cross-country flight. The airplane was not fueled before beginning the 28-minute return flight. The pilot reported that the run-up, takeoff, climb out, and cruise portion of the return flight proceeded normally. While on left base in the airport traffic pattern and after configuring the airplane for landing, he attempted to increase engine power, but the engine did not respond. His attempt to troubleshoot the problem, which included activating the fuel boost pump and changing fuel tanks, was not successful. The airplane impacted an unoccupied two-story residence about 1 mile south-southwest of the airport. Postaccident examination confirmed continuity of the airframe fuel system. The fuel strainer contained some water, and the screen was partially obstructed with debris. The salvage operator noted that the airplane was stored outside after recovery from the accident site. During an engine test run, the engine speed at full throttle was 2,450 rpm rather than 2,700 rpm as specified for maximum rated power by the manufacturer. The fuel pressure was about 1 psi above the limit. When the fuel mixture to the engine was leaned to within the specification, the engine speed did not change appreciably. Fuel pressure was a field-adjustable parameter, which may account for the finding. The investigation was unable to determine the reason for the loss of engine power. Since the fuel-injected engine performed normally on the initial flight and for most of the return flight, and considering that the wreckage was outside and subjected to the environment during storage, it is unlikely that the debris observed in the fuel screen was present at the time of the accident and likely did not have a role in the loss of engine power.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 14 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents14

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