Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sagle, Idaho 83860
Thursday, August 27, 1998 15:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while approaching the airport, the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the left fuel tank to the right, and his attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He initiated a forced landing to an open field. During the gear-up landing, the airplane spun around, slid through a drainage ditch and a fence before coming to rest. Inspection of the airplane revealed that less than a quart of fuel was present in the left fuel tank, and about 9 gallons of fuel was in the right fuel tank. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The pilot stated that he had flown this route before and on the previous flight, he had refueled. On the day of the accident, the pilot elected not to refuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision which led to fuel starvation.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1998
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1520
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAGLE
Event State IDAHO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 83860
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 8
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 1653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SZT
Elevation of weather observation facility 2127
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
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 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) 863
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:58AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35MM
NTSB Number SEA98LA172
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 V35B
Aircraft Series Identifier V35B
Aircraft Serial Number D-9467
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2400
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RED TAIL AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 930 PACIFIC
Aircraft Owner City CAYUCOS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93430
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 SBP
Departure City SAN LUIS OBISPO
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SZT
Destination City SANDPOINT
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --