NTSB Factual Report

On July 4, 2001, about 1045 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 35A, N699B, made an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power 2 miles east of Linden, California. The pilot/co-owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed Stockton, California, about 1015, and was returning to Stockton, the airplane's home field, when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot stated he wanted to inspect property he owned about 30 miles north of Linden that was in the vicinity of a brush fire. The flight up was uneventful and he was in contact with the Stockton air traffic control tower (ATCT) as he prepared to enter the landing pattern. He had been operating on the auxiliary tip tanks while in cruise at 2,500 feet at a power setting of 2,150 rpm and less than 22 inches of manifold pressure. He said the airplane began slowing as he maintained altitude when he detected a loss of engine power. He switched to the left main tank, which held about 25 gallons of fuel. He noted the engine speed remained steady at 1,100 rpm. He selected the full rich position of the mixture control and cycled the ignition switch.

The engine did not respond so he declared an emergency with the ATCT. He set up for a left traffic pattern on a dirt road. He landed successfully on the road, but the right wing tip collided with a fence post. The airplane departed the road to the right and continued through the fence until it came to rest. The nose gear and right main gear collapsed; the right wing sustained substantial damage.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident coordinator inspected the wreckage on scene on July 6. He inspected the throttle and mixture linkages and observed them operate through their full range of travel. He did not observe any slippage of the cables. He did not observe fuel in the line to the carburetor when he disconnected it. However, he did observe fuel flow when the pilot operated the fuel pump. He observed fuel in each tank.

On July 26, 2001, the Safety Board investigator, the FAA accident coordinator, and a representative from Teledyne Continental Motors inspected the airplane at the facilities of Plain Parts, the recovery agent, in Pleasant Grove, California. The wings had been removed in the recovery process. The recovery agent plumbed a fuel can into the left wing supply line. The agent started the engine and let it run at idle power. He advanced the engine to 1,700 rpm and completed a magneto check and the investigator noted a 200 rpm drop on both magnetos. The engine ran smoothly throughout the check. The agent attempted to cycle the propeller, but it did not respond. He advanced the engine to 2,300 rpm, and the investigator noted all instruments remained within the green operating bands marked on the instrument's faces. Power was reduced to idle; the engine idled smoothly and engine shutdown was unremarkable. The investigator noted that the engine ran smoothly and remained at selected power settings during this testing.

NTSB Probable Cause

The engine lost power for undetermined reasons.