Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalispell, Montana 59901
Monday, July 24, 1989 17:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE KALISPELL AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE EXECUTED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT COULD NOT RESTORE POWER. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN AN OPEN FIELD AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DAMAGED. A POST-CRASH EXAM OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED DIRT AND SAND CONTAMINANTES IN THE FUEL TANKS AND THAT THE FUEL FILTER SCREENS WERE OBSTRUCTED WITH FOREIGN MATTER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

CONTAMINATED FUEL SYSTEM THAT STARVED THE ENGINE OF FUEL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1725
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City KALISPELL
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59901
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 5354
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2006
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41202
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3317C
NTSB Number DEN89FA178
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 E35
Aircraft Series Identifier E35
Aircraft Serial Number D3983
Certified Max Gross Weight 2925
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 Oct 26 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 83
Airframe Hours 6081
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ENGLE, DONALD F.
Aircraft Owner Street Address WEST 922 CASCADE WAY
Aircraft Owner City SPOKANE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99208
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 FCA
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1720
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DKY
Destination City DEER PARK
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --