NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF THE FLIGHT

On July 28, 2013, about 1516 Pacific daylight time, a Beech 35-B33 airplane, N82182, experienced a loss of engine power immediately after departing Lone Pine Airport, Lone Pine, California. The pilot executed a forced landing into desert terrain. All four occupants egressed the airplane with minor injuries, and a post-accident fire ensued causing substantial damage. The airplane was registered to Sohail Air Ventures LLC, and operated by the private pilot, under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and a visual flight plan had not been filed. The flight originated at 1515 from Lone Pine Airport, and was destined for Corona, California.

The pilot stated that he diverted to Lone Pine Airport to wait out a weather system that was on their route of flight. About 1.5 hours after landing he decided to proceed on the planned route. He performed a full preflight and engine run up prior to departure, leaning the engine's fuel mixture for takeoff. The auxiliary (aux) fuel pump switch was in the OFF position. After takeoff he retracted the landing gear. At 300 feet above ground level (agl) he noticed that the airplane was not climbing normally, and had entered in a slight descent. The engine started to sputter. The pilot reported that he did not have time to perform the "Engine Failure After Liftoff" procedures, and elected to execute a gear up forced landing onto the terrain directly ahead. After the airplane stopped, he noticed a fire emanating from the left wing. The three passengers egressed through the right cabin door, and the pilot followed. The fire spread and soon engulfed most of the airplane's cabin before firefighters arrived to put out the flames.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 46, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single engine land issued April 16, 2012, and a third-class airman medical certificate issued in November 21, 2012, with no limitations. The pilot reported in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Pilot Accident Report form 6120.1, that he had accrued 296 total flight hours, 100 hours in the accident airplane make and model, and his most recent flight review was performed on September 16, 2012.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The four-seat, low-wing, retractable landing gear airplane, serial number CD-536, was powered by a Continental Motors IO-470-N11B, 260-hp engine, and equipped with a McCauley constant speed propeller. Review of the maintenance logbooks showed that a 100-hour inspection was performed on June 21, 2013, at 6,145.5 hours total airframe time. A 100-hour inspection was performed on the engine on the same date at an engine time of 1067.6 hours time since major over haul (TSMOH).

WRECKAGE & IMPACT INFORMATION

The pilot initiated a forced landed into desert terrain shortly after takeoff. Post-accident fire consumed the cabin and half the left wing. Fire-Rescue arrived on-scene and extinguished the fire. The wreckage was recovered and moved to a storage facility in Phoenix, Arizona.

On September 19, 2013, the airframe fuel system and engine were examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) and a technical representative from Continental Motors, Incorporated. The right wing fuel tank, fuel tank outlet finger screen, and fuel line to the fuel selector valve was uncompromised. The right fuel line had been separated from the fuel selector valve. The left wing fuel tank was destroyed by fire, and the fuel tank outlet finger screen was present. The fuel selector valve had been removed from the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector while on-scene and was shipped to the wreckage storage facility separately. The fuel selector was examined and disassembled by the NTSB IIC, and was determined to be positioned on the left tank. The fuel sump screen was clear of debris.

The engine was discolored gray and black from exposure to the post-accident fire. The crankshaft was rotated by hand and mechanical continuity was established. The ignition system sustained significant thermal damage that destroyed the left magneto housing and left the other ignition system components functionally damaged. The left and right magneto remained in place and secured to their respective mounting pads. The fuel pump housing was thermally destroyed. The fuel pump remained secured to its mounting pad. The pump was removed from the backside of the engine. The drive gear, drive coupling and drive shaft remained in place and intact. The fuel pump was disassembled and the fuel pump vanes were in place and intact. The throttle body/fuel control unit remained attached to the oil sump. The mixture and throttle control cables remained attached to their respective control levers and the levers remained secured to their respective control shafts. The control levers and shafts were marked with white paint and the levers were moved throughout their full range of motion. The levers moved from stop-to-stop without binding. There was no sign of slippage between the levers and their shafts. The fuel inlet screen plug was safety-wired. Removal of the fuel inlet screen revealed it was clean and free from debris.

The post-accident examination of the airframe fuel system and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the engine.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to the Beechcraft Debonair A33 & B33 Pilot Operating Handbook in Section III, Emergency Procedures, it states the following for engine failure after liftoff and in flight.

"Landing straight ahead is usually advisable. If sufficient altitude is available for maneuvering, accomplish the following:

1. Fuel Selector Valve – SELECT OTHER MAIN TANK (Check to feel detent)

2. Auxiliary Fuel Pump – ON

3. Mixture – FULL RICH, then LEAN as required

4. Magnetos – CHECK LEFT AND RIGHT then BOTH."

NTSB Probable Cause

A partial loss of engine power after takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to not execute the "Engine Failure After Liftoff" emergency procedures outlined in the Pilot’s Operating Handbook.