Beechcraft 35-C33A N4863J
28 June 1997 · Lugoff, South Carolina, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 28 June 1997 at about 15:39 local time, a Beechcraft 35-C33A registered N4863J, operated by Rodney A. Stewart, was involved in an accident near Lugoff, South Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 15:39
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lugoff, South Carolina, United States
- Nearest airport
- Camden (CDN)
- Coordinates
- 34.2209, -80.6797
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 35-C33A
- Registration
- N4863J
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Rodney A. Stewart
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Jenison → Camden
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ATL97FA090
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
improper fuel management by the pilot by not positioning the fuel selector to the fullest tank for landing, which resulted in fuel starvation, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Trees in the emergency landing area were a factor.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During a go-around after an approach to Woodward Field, the engine suddenly 'quit.' Because the pilot believed he was using the fullest tank (the left tank), he elected to not switch tanks as stated in the emergency procedures. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and was forced to execute an off-airport emergency landing. Fuel calculations showed the airplane should have had approximately 29 minutes of fuel remaining. The right tank had ruptured during impact, and it had evidence of hydraulic actuation. The left tank was not ruptured, and it contained approximately 3 gallons of fuel, which was considered unusable by the airframe manufacturer.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft 35 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 1997 | Beechcraft 35-C33A | Amana, Iowa, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 29 Apr 1997 | Beechcraft 35 | Spokane, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 7 Oct 1997 | Beechcraft 35-C33A | Robbins, North Carolina, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 27 Dec 1997 | Beechcraft 35-B33 | Troy, Michigan, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 Dec 1997 | Beechcraft 35-33 | Chesterfield, Missouri, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 13 May 1997 | Beechcraft 35 | Liberty, Missouri, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Jul 1997 | Hughes 269C | Johnston, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 14 Apr 1997 | Piper PA-28-160 | Pickens, South Carolina, United States | Chester D. Maynard | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 1997 | Cessna 172P | Rockhill, South Carolina, United States | Scott S. Fisher | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Aug 1997 | Cessna 414A | Anderson, South Carolina, United States | Paul B. Dubinsky | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 May 1997 | Cessna Wren 182G-460 | Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 1997 | Piper PA-28-151 | Bennettsville, South Carolina, United States | Richard Sanderson | No injuries | - |