Mesquite Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaver Dam, Arizona 86432
Saturday, October 7, 1995 12:12 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was competing in an air race and made a low pass over the destination airport. During the low pass, the airplane sustained a loss of engine power and crashed into an open desert area during the emergency descent/landing. The aircraft impacted in a near vertical nose-down and a 60-degree right wing down attitude. Wreckage examination revealed the fuel selector valve was positioned to the right tank. The right tank, although compromised, did not contain any fuel. The fuel line from the engine fuel pump to the fuel injector control unit did not contain any fuel. The left fuel tank contained fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper use of the fuel selector valve, which resulted in fuel starvation; and her failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/7/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BEAVER DAM
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86432
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MESQUITE AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 67L
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 40
Airport Elevation 1975
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1824
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 7 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1307
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3066W
NTSB Number LAX96FA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A-36
Aircraft Series Identifier A-36
Aircraft Serial Number E-489
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 Jul 14 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 4871
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ILSE H. DE VRIES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 196 N. CARMELINA AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90049
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 946
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 67L
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --