Beechcraft A36 N41MK

Summary

On 26 July 2011 at about 01:36 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N41MK, operated by Bonanza Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Williston, North Dakota, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 July 2011 at 01:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Williston, North Dakota, United States

Coordinates

48.1689, -103.2136

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N41MK

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Bonanza Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Williston → Williston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11FA508

1 person died.

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and a partial loss of engine power while maneuvering at a low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The passenger reported that the purpose of the local flight was to take low-altitude aerial photographs of nearby ground structures and that, shortly before the accident, the pilot remarked that the engine was not operating normally and asked him to look for a suitable landing area. He believed that the engine was still running at that time. The pilot located an open landing area and was in the process of landing when the right wing collided with terrain. During the postaccident examination, about 18 gallons of usable fuel was recovered from the left wing fuel tank, and no usable fuel was recovered from the right wing fuel tank. The observed damage to the propeller blades was indicative of the engine producing at least idle power at the time of the accident. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Additionally, the engine demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower during an operational test run. A review of fueling records and recorded engine data from previous flights established that the partial loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation and not from a mechanical malfunction of the engine. Although the fuel selector was found positioned to draw fuel from the left wing fuel tank, it is likely that the pilot repositioned the selector from the right wing fuel tank when he detected the engine problem. Because he was maneuvering at a low altitude, the airplane likely had insufficient altitude and time to reestablish fuel flow and restore engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.