Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Stillwater, Oklahoma 74074
Sunday, November 28, 1999 9:08 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During the initial climb, while passing through 1,600 feet agl, and shortly after the pilot adjusted the engine power for cruise climb, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot adjusted the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls, switched the fuel selector from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, and manually pumped the fuel boost pump. Engine power was not restored. During the ensuing forced landing, the airplane impacted hilly terrain. A test flow of the pressure carburetor revealed that it would not flow within its specified limits. Disassembly of the pressure carburetor revealed that a few of the diaphragms were dry rotted, hardened, and fuel was found in the air section of the discharge diaphragm. The manufacture dates stamped on the fuel and air diaphragms of the regulator section of the carburetor were October 1958 and November 1953 respectively. It could not be determined when the carburetor had last been overhauled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power due to the dry-rotted diaphragms in the pressure carburetor. A factor was the hilly terrain encountered during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/28/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 908
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City STILLWATER
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74074
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 11
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 1053 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID SWO
Elevation of weather observation facility 986
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1528
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 28 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 9:37AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N444D
NTSB Number FTW00LA038
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 BE35
Aircraft Series Identifier BE35
Aircraft Serial Number D586
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 Nov 24 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 3780
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN K. MURRAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 424 SOUTH A STREET
Aircraft Owner City BLACKWELL
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74631
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 SWO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OK56
Destination City BLACKWELL
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 23 2001 11:29AM
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 --