Beechcraft C35 N622D

Summary

On 12 September 1994 at about 15:45 local time, a Beechcraft C35 registered N622D, operated by Daniel N. Sinclair, was involved in an accident near Borrego Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 September 1994 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Borrego Springs, California, United States

Nearest airport

Borrego Springs (L08)

Coordinates

33.1706, -116.2707

Aircraft

Beechcraft C35

Registration

N622D

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Daniel N. Sinclair

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlsbad → Blythe

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94LA363

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadvertent allowance of a fuel starvation loss of power event and his failure to select a tank containing fuel due to his lack of knowledge about the fuel pump/selector unit operating limitations. Factors in the accident were his limited experience in the aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

IN CRUISE OVER THE MOUNTAINS, THE FUEL PRESSURE DECREASED AND THE ENGINE QUIT. ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE POWER BY ACTIVATING THE HAND OPERATED PUMP ON THE FUEL SELECTOR AND SWITCHING BETWEEN TANKS WERE FUTILE. THE PILOT SPOTTED THE DESERT FLOOR AIRPORT JUST BEYOND THE MOUNTAINS AND ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON RUNWAY 25; HOWEVER, HE LANDED 100 YARDS SHORT IN ROUGH DESERT TERRAIN. FAA INSPECTORS FOUND THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE ON THE RIGHT TANK AND THE SELECTOR HANDLE EXTENDED INTO THE PUMP OPERATING POSITION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF SPILLAGE NOTED ON THE SURROUNDING GROUND. THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 CAPACITY. THE ENGINE-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND THE COMBINED FUEL SELECTOR VALVE AND HAND FUEL PUMP WERE FOUND TO FUNCTION. THE COMBINATION FUEL SELECTOR AND HAND OPERATED FUEL PUMP UNIT HAS TWO SEPARATE MODES. WITH THE HANDLE IN THE DOWN POSITION, THE UNIT IS A FUEL SELECTOR VALVE. WHEN THE HANDLE IS EXTENDED INTO THE PUMP POSITION, THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE MODE IS DISABLED. THE PILOT PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND HAS ONLY 6 HOURS IN THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.