East Kansas City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grain Valley, Missouri 64029
Tuesady, February 17, 2009 9:28 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that shortly after takeoff, the aircraft's engine lost all power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but without success. He made a forced landing in an open field. During the landing roll-out, the left wing struck a tree causing the airplane to spin around. The wing's leading edge was wrinkled, the wing spar was damaged, and the nose gear strut assembly was sheared off. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies prior to the engine losing power. An examination of the airplane' s engine and engine driven fuel pump revealed "foreign matter under the pressure relief valve", which allowed "fuel to bypass" the carburetor and return to the fuel tank instead.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to fuel starvation (mechanical). Contributing to the accident was the forced landing on unsuitable terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/17/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 928
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Grain Valley
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64029
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 390056N
Event Location Longitude 0941248W
Event Location Airport East Kansas City Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3GV
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 835
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 830 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 230
Weather Observation Facility ID lxt
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25281
NTSB Notification Source Federal Aviation Administratio
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2009 12:08PM
User who most recently changed record scoa
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7942D
NTSB Number CEN09LA167
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 H35
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number D-5192
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 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5369
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Ronald L. Strahm
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2802 S. Crenshaw Road
Aircraft Owner City Independence
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 64057
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Ronald L. Strahm
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2802 S. Crenshaw Road
Operator City Independence
Operator State MO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 64057
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 3GV
Departure City Grain Valley
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 928
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code K59
Destination City Atchison
Destination State KS
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 28 2009 10:20AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --