Minot International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Minot, North Dakota 58701
Sunday, September 22, 1996 20:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a three mile final approach to landing after being aloft for three hours, the engine sputtered and lost total power. The pilot flipped the switch to his right fuel tank and tried to restart the engine. It wouldn't start. On the return flight, the pilot had forgotten to switch the tank to the right one before he ran out. He stated he always does it, but forgot this time. The airplane landed 2 1/4 miles short of the runway. The airplane's nose was blocked up and after several turns, the engine started and ran with no discrepancies noticed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel management was not performed and starvation of the fuel system. A factor involved was inadequate in-flight planning/decision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MINOT
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58701
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MINOT INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MOT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 80
Airport Elevation 1715
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2030 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID MOT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1715
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1755
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 996
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1368Z
NTSB Number CHI96LA343
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model BE-35
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-35
Aircraft Serial Number D-6789
Certified Max Gross Weight 3125
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 80
Airframe Hours 3071
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID C. GOWAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2405 13TH STREET SE RR 7
Aircraft Owner City MINOT
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58701
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code STP
Departure City ST. PAUL
Departure State MN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1730
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MOT
Destination City
Destination State ND
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 26
Runway Length 5758
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --