Beechcraft M35 N711DU

Summary

On 25 August 2003 at about 22:45 local time, a Beechcraft M35 registered N711DU was involved in an accident near Avon, Illinois, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2003 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Avon, Illinois, United States

Coordinates

40.6610, -90.4296

Aircraft

Beechcraft M35

Registration

N711DU

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St Louis → Galesburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI03LA288

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate fuel managemant leading to fuel starvation during cruise flight and the unsuitable terrain she encountered during the forced landing. A factor was her lack of total time in the airplane make and model.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing to a cornfield following an in-flight loss of engine power. The pilot said that she departed with about three quarters of a tank of fuel. She reported, "Halfway [through] the flight I turned the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank. The airplane started to lose power, so I put it back onto the right tank. The plane flew fine for more than 5 minutes and then started to loose power again, as well as altitude. I turned the fuel boost switch on and then off and this helped get about a hundred feet back. The airplane continued to lose altitude. The fuel gauge was indicating around 3/4 of a tank when I switched it." An examination revealed the fuel selector was on the right tank. The right fuel tank was examined and no fuel was observed. Fuel was observed in the remaining fuel tanks on the airplane. The aircraft's engine was started and ran from the fuel in another tank. The pilot reported two hours of total flight time in the accident airplane make and model.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.