Beechcraft B36TC N1069T

Summary

On 6 August 2014 at about 22:45 local time, a Beechcraft B36TC registered N1069T was involved in an accident near Decatur, 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

6 August 2014 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Decatur, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Decatur (DEC)

Coordinates

39.8244, -88.8844

Aircraft

Beechcraft B36TC

Registration

N1069T

Category

Airplane

Year built

1996

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

MacOmb → Decatur

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA408

Nobody was injured.

Debris in the fuel system, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while on approach to the airport, he switched the fuel selector handle to the left fuel tank. Minutes later, while he was turning the airplane in the traffic pattern, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. He switched on the electric fuel pump, and the engine power was briefly restored. The engine lost power again, and the pilot made a forced landing to a cornfield on the south side of the airfield. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that fibrous debris, which measured 0.2 inch by 0.4 inch, was present in the fuel manifold valve and the filter screen. Similar debris was also found obstructing the inside of the fuel selector screen. Data extracted from the airplane's engine monitor data card revealed that, during cruise flight, the fuel flow was inconsistent, ranging from about 20 to 95 gallons per hour (gph); this was likely due to the debris obstruction. In the final minute of the flight, the fuel flow decreased to 5 gph and then spiked to 75 gph, which is consistent with the fuel pump being switched on, before decreasing again without recovering. The engine rpm tracked with the reductions and increase in fuel flow. Based on the physical evidence and the engine data, it is likely that the debris in the fuel selector screen ultimately blocked the fuel from reaching the engine, which resulted in fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.