Beechcraft A23 N8873M
10 July 1999 · Eatonville, Washington, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 10 July 1999 at about 01:15 local time, a Beechcraft A23 registered N8873M was involved in an accident near Eatonville, Washington, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 01:15
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Eatonville, Washington, United States
- Nearest airport
- Swanson (WA20)
- Coordinates
- 46.8604, -122.2495
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft A23
- Registration
- N8873M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Arlington → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA99FA112
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
Improper fuel management which led to fuel starvation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Neither the pilot nor the pilot-rated passenger recall the events leading up to the accident. Witnesses reported that the aircraft was observed low on final approach and that the engine lost power. One witness reported that just before he lost sight of the aircraft, he heard a noise as if the engine was trying to be started. The flight was returning from an approximate two hour flight duration. Fuel consumption calculations estimated for the flight indicate that approximately 14 to 19 gallons of fuel would be required for the flight, with 16 to 11 gallons remaining at the completion of the flight. The flight began with approximately 30 gallons of fuel. Documentation of the wreckage indicated that approximately 12 gallons of fuel was drained from the left wing fuel tank, while only 22 ounces of fuel was drained from the right fuel tank. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left side fuel tank. There was no evidence of fuel leakage. Post-crash examination of the engine revealed that no fuel was found in the fuel lines. The engine was then prepared for an engine run. The engine was started and ran long enough to demonstrate smooth operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft A23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 Sep 1999 | Beechcraft A23 | Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States | Joseph T. Gembusia | No injuries | - |
| 28 Mar 1999 | Beechcraft A23 | Homestead, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1999 | Beechcraft A23-24 | Wheatland, Wyoming, United States | Larry G. Wright | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 1999 | Beechcraft A23 | Pinehurst, North Carolina, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 18 Apr 1999 | Beechcraft A23-24 | Yerington, Nevada, United States | Christopher E. Barbera | No injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 1998 | Beechcraft A23-24 | Shunk, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Fatal | 5 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Jan 1999 | Cessna 175 | Moses Lake, Washington, United States | John H. Bross | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Dec 1999 | Cessna 140 | Port Townsend, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 14 Jul 1999 | Cessna 185 | Renton, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 1999 | Cessna 170B | Auburn, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 26 Mar 1999 | Cessna T210L | Port Angeles, Washington, United States | Wings Aloft | Minor injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 1999 | Stinson V77 | Tacoma, Washington, United States | Kimble, Wallis, R. | No injuries | - |