Beechcraft A36 N6052W

Summary

On 28 August 2011 at about 19:30 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N6052W, operated by McCoy Joseph W, was involved in an accident near Napa, California, United States. 5 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 2011 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Napa, California, United States

Nearest airport

Napa County (KAPT)

Coordinates

38.2131, -122.2806

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N6052W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

McCoy Joseph W

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

South Lake Taho → Napa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR11LA410

Injuries not recorded.

The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on final approach to the destination airport, about 1.5 miles from the approach end of the runway, the engine suddenly lost power. The pilot advanced the throttle, checked that the mixture was rich, moved the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank, and activated the fuel boost pump. The engine did not regain its power, and the pilot executed a gear up landing on a nearby highway. During the landing, the airplane hit a vehicle and the left wing impacted a metal pole and the left fuel tank was breached. First responders reported that there was no indication of fuel in the left tank or leaking from the airplane, and the right tank was about 1/4 full. The propeller blade tips were curled; two blade tips curled forward, and one blade tip curled aft, consistent with a propeller that was under power at the time of contact with the hard, flat roadway. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation, and the pilot’s action of switching to the right fuel tank resulted in the engine regaining power at the same instant that the airplane landed with its gear up on the highway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.