Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Prescott, Arizona 86303
Thursday, February 18, 1999 7:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was in cruise flight at 8,500 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine began to run rough. He verified the engine power controls were in their normal positions. Then the engine quit, and he noted the fuel pressure was reading zero. He turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and tried the restart procedure. Fuel pressure was still zero and the engine was wind milling at 1,600 rpm. He switched tanks and kept the auxiliary fuel pump on. The restart procedure was tried again, but fuel pressure remained zero. He attempted a glide to a dirt landing strip but had insufficient altitude and landed several hundred feet short in rough terrain; the nose gear collapsed when it encountered a ditch. Fuel quantity was verified on scene with the left tank full and the right tank at the bottom of the filler neck. The airframe and engine were examined following recovery and a 5-gallon fuel supply was attached to the right wing fuel system. The fuel selector valve was checked and operated normally. The boost pump was operated and the fuel pressure was observed in the normal range. The engine was primed, started, and run through the complete power range. A 50-rpm drop was observed when each magneto was checked at 1,700 rpm. Normal fuel flows were observed and leaning of the mixture was normal. No mechanical problems were encountered during the engine run and the engine shut down normally.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/18/1999
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PRESCOTT
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86303
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5042
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1233
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 18 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1310
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8253C
NTSB Number LAX99LA094
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model F33
Aircraft Series Identifier F33
Aircraft Serial Number CE-1546
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 35
Airframe Hours 9377
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIRLINE TRAINING CENTER, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1658 S. LITCHFIELD RD
Aircraft Owner City GOODYEAR
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85338
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code GYR
Departure City GOODYEAR
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 640
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PSP
Destination City PALM SPRINGS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --