Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wallisville, Texas 77597
Wednesday, January 25, 1995 21:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE EN ROUTE FROM DESTIN, FL, TO HOUSTON, TX, THE PASSENGER NOTED THAT THE PILOT PERIODICALLY SWITCHED FUEL TANKS. ALSO, HE NOTED BEEPING SOUNDS THAT STOPPED AFTER THE AUTOPILOT WAS TURNED OFF AND THE AUTOMATIC (PITCH) TRIM CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS PULLED. DURING DARKNESS, AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED ANAHUAC, TX, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT RESTARTED THE ENGINE, BUT SECONDS LATER, IT LOST POWER AGAIN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN WATER. THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANK. ENGINE TEST RUNS WERE SUCCESSFUL. A TOXICOLOGY TEST OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD SHOWED 0.583 MCG/ML FLUOXETINE (PROZAC) AND 0.254 MCG/ML NORFLUOXETINE (METABOLITE OF FLUOXETINE). A TEST OF HIS URINE SHOWED 0.344 MCG/ML FLUOXETINE AND 0.195 MCG/ML NORFLUOXETINE. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG, PROZAC, IS AN ANTIDEPRESSANT AND IS NOT APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND A LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/25/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2140
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City WALLISVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 77597
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 1
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2150 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 252
Weather Observation Facility ID HOU
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 3500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 659
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 25 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 3:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7250U
NTSB Number FTW95FA101
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A36
Aircraft Series Identifier A36
Aircraft Serial Number E2276
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 5 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 910
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCOTT H. DEBERRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7711 SAN PRAIRIE
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77095
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 81J
Departure City DESTIN
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1846
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IWS
Destination City HOUSTON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --