Beechcraft V35A N222S

Summary

On 1 August 2004 at about 00:15 local time, a Beechcraft V35A registered N222S was involved in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 2004 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Grand Junction, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Walker Field (GJT)

Coordinates

39.1105, -108.5306

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35A

Registration

N222S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grand Junction → Grand Junction

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN04LA118

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's improper planning and decision making resulting in the loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing factors include the insufficient time to completely extend the landing gear, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a local flight of approximately 2 hours, which included 3 taxi-back landings, the pilot requested a fourth departure. The pilot stated that, prior to the third landing, the right main fuel tank gauge was "indicating 1/3 full, at the top of the yellow arc," and prior to his fourth departure, the left main fuel gauge was indicating, "a little over 1/3 full, above the yellow arc." During the departure from runway 22, at approximately 500 feet agl, the engine lost all power. The pilot completed a turn and attempted to land on runway 4. Unable to make the runway, the pilot was forced to land in a field. The airplane impacted the terrain approximately 100 feet left of the runway centerline, and came to a stop adjacent to the runway threshold. The impact with the terrain collapsed the landing gear, buckled the airplane's right forward keel beam and separated the step from the fuselage. The pilot stated that the total fuel on board at the last take-off was 26 gallons. The Beechcraft Bonanza Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) states: "do not take off when Fuel Quantity Gauges indicate in the Yellow Band or with less then 13 gallons in each main tank."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.