Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Roben-Hood Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Big Rapids, Michigan 49307
Sunday, April 4, 2004 14:50 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that the engine had just been overhauled and reinstalled on the airplane. After a successful ground run, a flight test was conducted. The pilot reported that he and an aircraft mechanic departed with the right fuel tank selected, climbed to 8,500 feet mean sea level, and circled the airport while checking the engine performance. The pilot reported the new fuel pump was putting out nearly 15 psi., whereas, the previous fuel pump had put out 9 psi. After an hour of flying, the pilot started his descent to land with the fuel selector still on the right fuel tank. While on final approach he added power, but the engine did not respond. He could not restore engine power before the airplane impacted the ground. An inspection of the airplane revealed there were 6 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank, and 2.5 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank. The wing fuel tanks each held 20 gallons of fuel with 17 gallons being useable fuel. The inspection revealed no airframe or engine anomalies. The pilot reported, "I think what happened was that the increased fuel pump pressure transferred the fuel from the right tank into the left tank at an accelerated rate, and I had no idea that I was getting that close to empty." The engine was removed from the airframe and an engine run was conducted. The engine started and ran. The pilot reported that he departed with 20 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, 5 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank, and 10 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary tank. The Beechcraft Bonanza C35 Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH) states: "Take-offs should be made using the left main tank and landings should be made using the main tank that is more nearly full. In no case should a take-off be made if the fuel indications are in the yellow band or, with less than 10 gallons of fuel in each main tank." The POH also states: "The pressure type carburetor returns about 3 gallons per hour of excess fuel to the left main cell regardless of the cell selected."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The total loss of engine power due to the pilot's improper fuel management which led to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/4/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1450 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Big Rapids |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49307 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 434321N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0853014W |
| Event Location Airport | Roben-Hood Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RQB |
| 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 | 990 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1355 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RQB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 990 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| 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) | 3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 22 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 16053 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 4 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1519 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 1 2004 7:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FAA Grand Rapids, MI FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1922D |
| NTSB Number | CHI04LA099 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | C35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-3194 |
| 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 | Mar 30 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 2946.6 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jack H. Sparling |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8930 Thorn Apple Valley |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pinckney |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48169 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| 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) | Flight Test |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | RQB |
| Departure City | Big Rapids |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | RQB |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 13 2004 8:05AM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |