Beechcraft C35 N5958C

Summary

On 24 September 2017 at about 23:29 local time, a Beechcraft C35 registered N5958C was involved in an accident near Camden, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 September 2017 at 23:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Camden, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Harrell Field Airport (CDH)

Coordinates

33.4536, -92.7581

Aircraft

Beechcraft C35

Registration

N5958C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Camden → Benton

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN17FA364

2 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to return to the runway instead of landing straight ahead when the engine lost power and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering for an emergency landing, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to properly secure the left main fuel tank cap after refueling, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation during the takeoff climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After refueling the airplane, the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger took off in the airplane to return to the pilot's home airport. During the initial climb, the airplane accelerated to about 67 knots and reached an altitude of about 170 ft above ground level before it began to slow and lose altitude, consistent with a loss of engine power. Although more than 2,300 ft of relatively level grassy terrain suitable for an emergency landing remained ahead of the airplane, the pilot made a left turn back toward the departure end of the runway. During the turn, the airplane entered a steep left spiral, impacted the ground, and caught fire. The airplane's left main fuel tank cap was found on the left side of the runway about 1,000 ft from the threshold and 4,500 ft from the main wreckage. The cap's locking lever was engaged, and it showed no fire or impact damage. The fuel selector valve was found positioned to the right main fuel tank feed position. Flight control continuity was confirmed, and no other preimpact anomalies were found. According to the pilot operating handbook for the airplane, the fuel selector should be on the left main fuel tank for takeoff. It is likely that the left main fuel tank cap was not secured after the airplane was refueled and fell off the airplane's left wing onto the runway during the takeoff. Without the cap in place, fuel escaped from the left main fuel tank and subsequently starved the engine of fuel during the climb, resulting in the power loss. The pilot likely switched the fuel selector to the right main fuel tank in an attempt to restart the engine. When the pilot tried to turn back to the airport, he failed to maintain a safe airspeed, and the airplane exceeded its critical angle of attack and entered an aerodynamic stall.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.