Morgantown Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Morgantown, West Virginia 26501
Thursday, July 1, 2004 15:02 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed with the right fuel tank full (approximately 17 gallons) and the left tank about half full. He flew for approximately 30 minutes with the right fuel tank selected, and landed at his destination airport. The pilot departed again with the right tank selected for the return flight. As the airplane reached the end of the runway, the engine began to sputter and then lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported that the airplane burned more fuel when the right tank was selected, since unused fuel from the engine is returned to the left fuel tank. The pilot stated that the cause of the accident was, "fuel starvation and simple pilot error." Examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank was ruptured, and the left fuel tank was approximately half full. The fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel injector, and the line from the fuel distributor to the cylinders contained no fuel. The fuel line from the fuel selector to the fuel pump contained residual fuel only. According to the Beechcraft BE-35 Pilot's Operating Handbook, "The pressure type carburetor returns about 3 gallons per hour of excess fuel to the left main cell regardless of the cell selected." The fuel burn rate depicted in the Performance section of the Handbook was approximately 9.5 gallons per hour.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/1/2004
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1502
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Morgantown
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 26501
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393834N
Event Location Longitude 0795458W
Event Location Airport Morgantown Municipal Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MGW
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 1248
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1504 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1248
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.14
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18033
NTSB Notification Source Eastern Region Ops Center
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office CRW FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5345E
NTSB Number NYC04LA151
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 35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 05811
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 12 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2730
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Paul Tarnutzer
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Central City
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15926
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code MGW
Departure City Morgantown
Departure State WV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 2G9
Destination City Somerset
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2005 10:29AM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 5199
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --