Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Brownsville/South Padre Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Los Fresnos, Texas 78566
Tuesady, December 28, 2004 18:26 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 1,172-hour pilot reported that the engine lost power when he increased manifold pressure after he leveled off at an altitude of 1,200 feet while on a night cross country flight. The pilot was able to restart the engine by adjusting the mixture and turning on the fuel boost pump; however, the engine lost power a second time. He then initiated a forced landing to an open field with the landing gear retracted. After the airplane came to rest , the pilot secured the airplane and placed the fuel selector to the "off" position. Examination of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the auxiliary tanks, 20 gallons in the left main tank, and approximately 15 gallons in the right main fuel tank. The pilot said that he had previously experienced a loss of engine power on three different occasions in this airplane, and was able to restore power. After each of those power losses the airplane was examined by an airframe and power plant mechanic, and no deficiencies were identified. The engine was test-run under the supervision of the Safety Board. The engine started immediately and ran at various power settings without interruption for approximately 30 minutes. No mechanical deficiencies were noted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the prevailing dark night ilumination.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/28/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1826 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Los Fresnos |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78566 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 260716N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0972540W |
| Event Location Airport | Brownsville/South Padre |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BRO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 25 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1841 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BRO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 25 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.26 |
| 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) | 18611 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 29 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 800 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 27 2005 6:51AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | San Antonio, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N860R |
| NTSB Number | DFW05LA049 |
| 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 | BE35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | CD-11 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Jul 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 6 |
| Airframe Hours | 4308.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Craig Thomas Hughes |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4011 Cloverdale Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Tyler |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75701 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 07F |
| Departure City | Gladewater |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1520 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BRO |
| Destination City | Brownsville |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 12 2005 6:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| 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 | -- |