Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colorado Spring, Colorado 80903
Saturday, June 14, 2003 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While being vectored to avoid weather, the pilot lost track of his fuel situation and failed to switch tanks. While on approach the engine stopped. The pilot elected to touch down with the landing gear up and the flaps retracted. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, when a salvage company retrieved the airplane from the field, approximately 2.5 hours of fuel was found in the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision in which he mismanaged his fuel supply by failing to switch tanks resulting in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Colorado Spring
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80903
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 384800N
Event Location Longitude 1044200W
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 1421 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) 8347
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15464
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Jun 14 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, CO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5751K
NTSB Number DEN03LA107
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model S35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-7539
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 Nov 7 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 87.6
Airframe Hours 2508.6
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GW Bonanza Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8320 Deadwood Point
Aircraft Owner City Fond Du Lac
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54935
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Peter J. Vercouteren
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address On File
Operator City Fon Du Lac
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 54935
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 FLD
Departure City FOND DU LAC
Departure State WI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code COS
Destination City COLORADO SPRING
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 6 2004 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --