Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mokane, Missouri 65059
Friday, December 24, 1999 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that after the engine quit he scanned the gauges. The left fuel tank indicated 1/4 tank of fuel. The pilot reported that the left fuel tank was selected, but he did not change the fuel selector to the right fuel tank when he tried to perform an engine re-start. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field, but the landing gear collapsed after it 'bounced over a little drainage ditch' during landing rollout. The pilot inspected the left wing tank for fuel. He reported he, 'couldn't see gas in the tank,' and that the left tank was 'pretty empty.' He checked the right tank and estimated there was 3 to 4 gallons of fuel in the right tank. The right fuel gauge indicated 1/4 tank. The pilot reported he had fueled the airplane with approximately one hour of fuel in each tank, and he had flown for approximately one hour when the engine quit. The airplane's flight manual lists '(1) Select other fuel tank (check to feel detent)' as a step in the emergency procedures for loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fuel starvation due to the pilot's failure to make accurate fuel consumption calculations and the pilot's improper emergency procedures for engine re-start. A factor was the ditch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/24/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City MOKANE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65059
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID JEF
Elevation of weather observation facility 549
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
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) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
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 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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 735
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 25 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 805
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 12:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2012D
NTSB Number CHI00LA055
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 D3362
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 11 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 4850
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALBATROSS AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 380 AIRPORT CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City BEAVER
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 25813
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 4MO
Departure City MONTGOMERY CITY
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone CST
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --