Beechcraft C35 N1990D

Summary

On 26 September 2015 at about 18:20 local time, a Beechcraft C35 registered N1990D, operated by Michael R Keenan, was involved in an accident near Belen, New Mexico, United States. 4 people were 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

26 September 2015 at 18:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Belen, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Alexander Muni (E80)

Coordinates

34.6672, -106.8250

Aircraft

Beechcraft C35

Registration

N1990D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Michael R Keenan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Belen → Belen

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN15LA436

Nobody was injured.

The total loss of engine power due to contamination in the fuel system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, while returning to the airport during a personal local flight and about 3 miles northeast of the airport, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the issue but was unable to restart the engine, so he chose to make a forced landing on a dirt road. The airplane continued down the road for about 600 ft, and the left wing then collided with a bush. The airplane came to rest upright next to the road about 1 mile north of the airport. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the fuel strainer and carburetor fuel inlet screen were clogged with contaminants, and there was a distinct odor of automotive fuel. The engine had been modified under a supplemental type certificate that only allowed for the use of 100LL aviation fuel. However, the fuel doors still contained placards indicating that unleaded automotive gasoline was approved fuel for the airplane. The pilot stated that, during the 2 years before the accident, he had only used 100LL aviation fuel in the airplane. Based on the evidence, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to contamination in the fuel system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.