Beechcraft E55 N36SV

Summary

On 13 November 1995 at about 18:45 local time, a Beechcraft E55 registered N36SV was involved in an accident near Manassas, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 1995 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Manassas, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Manassas Regional (HEF)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft E55

Registration

N36SV

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Gaithersburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO96LA021

1 person had minor injuries.

failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane, when the left engine lost power shortly after liftoff. Related factors were the pilot's failure to follow the checklist procedure, and his failure to ensure that the fuel selector was in the proper position for takeoff, which resulted in fuel starvation to the left engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot estimated that there was about 60 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of departure, of which more than two thirds was in the main tanks. The pilot reported that during ground operations, he switched the fuel selector valves to the aux position in an attempt to conserve fuel in the main tanks. He said that he intended to switch back to the main tanks before takeoff, in accordance with the checklist procedure, but forgot. The pilot reported that as the airplane lifted off and he reached for the landing gear handle, the left engine lost power and the airplane snap rolled to the left. Witnesses reported that the airplane impacted the ground on its left wing and cartwheeled beside the runway. A bulletin from the aircraft manufacturer stated, '...If the auxiliary tanks are...selected for takeoff...it is possible for air to enter the auxiliary tank outlet, leading to power interruption.' There was no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.