Beechcraft 35-C33A N2713T

Summary

On 25 April 2013 at about 23:06 local time, a Beechcraft 35-C33A registered N2713T was involved in an accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. One person was on board and 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

25 April 2013 at 23:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Downtown Island Airport (DKX)

Coordinates

35.9581, -83.8708

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35-C33A

Registration

N2713T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Knoxville → Knoxville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA214

1 person was seriously injured.

The loss of engine power during takeoff for a reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations and testing revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the accident pilot, who was also a mechanic at a repair facility that had just completed work on the airplane's engine, the airplane's owner reported that, during his last flight, the engine began running roughly about 7,500 ft. He stated that the owner also reported that turning on the auxiliary fuel pump caused the engine to run "smooth" and that he continued the flight uneventfully. Maintenance personnel, including the accident pilot, examined and tested the engine's induction, ignition, and fuel systems, and the only discrepancy they discovered was that the engine-driven fuel pump inlet fitting was loose. After the examination, the accident pilot performed a preflight inspection and engine run-up with no anomalies noted. The pilot reported that, before initiating the takeoff for the postmaintenance check flight, he chose to activate the auxiliary pump as a precautionary measure; however, the Pilot's Operating Handbook, the pilot's abbreviated checklist, and a placard near the auxiliary fuel pump switch indicated that the auxiliary fuel boost pump should be turned off for takeoff. During the initial climb, when the airplane was less than 200 ft above the ground, the engine lost power. The pilot's efforts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, so he performed a forced landing. A postaccident examination and test run of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although the pilot did not follow the published takeoff procedures, it could not be determined if his use of the auxiliary fuel boost pump during takeoff caused the loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.