Scottsdale Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
Friday, March 15, 1985 12:12 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT & PAX DEPARTED PHOENIX SKY HARBOR ON A SALES DEMO FLT & LANDED NEARBY AT FALCON FLD. DURING THE RETURN FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER AS THE PLT BEGAN DESCENDING FROM 3800'. HE NOTED THERE WAS NO FUEL FLOW, SO HE USED THE WOBBLE PUMP. THE PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN FUEL PRESSURE, SO HE MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK. HOWEVER, HE WAS STILL UNABLE TO GET FUEL PRESSURE. THE PLT STATED HE 'TRIED UNSUCCESSFULLY SEVERAL TIMES TO RESTART, SWITCHING TANKS, PUMPING THE WOBBLE PUMP, WITH THE MIXTURE RICH, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART ENGINE.' SUBSEQUENTLY, HE MADE A WHEELS-UP LANDING IN A COTTON FLD, BUT THE ACFT HIT AN IRRIGATION DITCH DURING THE LANDING. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONEDTO THE R MAIN TANK WHICH HAD ONLY A TRACE OF FUEL REMAINING. SOME FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN THE L MAIN & AUX TANKS. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR. THE FUEL INDICATOR SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK POSITION. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1212
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SCOTTSDALE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85260
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SCOTTSDALE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SDL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 8
Degrees magnetic from airport 290
Airport Elevation 1508
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1146 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID PHX
Elevation of weather observation facility 1132
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 45
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1350
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) 260
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1351
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27611
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5539D
NTSB Number LAX85LA173
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 D5094
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Apr 12 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 3785
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. WOFFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5126 N. 82ND ST
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85253
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City MESA
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --