Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder, Colorado 80301
Thursday, September 19, 1996 17:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

At an altitude of 200 feet above ground level, following a touch and go landing, a total loss of power occurred and a forced landing was conducted on rough and uneven terrain. Examination of the aircraft provided evidence that the left fuel tank, which had been selected, had a totally blocked fuel vent due to a mud based insect nest. The nest was internal in the vent and could not be seen during normal inspection. The aircraft had not been flown in 20 days prior to the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power due to a plugged fuel tank vent which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BOULDER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80301
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
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 1822 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5671
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1669
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 19 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1749
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 N5428D
NTSB Number FTW96LA392
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 H35
Aircraft Series Identifier H35
Aircraft Serial Number D-4934
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Jun 1 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3921
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JORGE A. NEWBERRY
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 417
Aircraft Owner City BIG PINE KEY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33043
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 1V5
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --