Beechcraft 35 N5277C

Summary

On 24 September 2019 at about 00:54 local time, a Beechcraft 35 registered N5277C was involved in an accident near Gresham, Oregon, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 September 2019 at 00:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Gresham, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.4700, -122.4700

Aircraft

Beechcraft 35

Registration

N5277C

Category

Airplane

Year built

1951

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scappoose → Scappoose

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR19LA265

2 people were seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the instructor’s inadequate in-flight fuel management.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before departing on an approximate 1 hour and 20-minute instructional flight, the instructor and student idled on the airplane on the ground for about 30 minutes. While conducting maneuvers, the engine “audibly slowed down drastically” and the propeller and throttle controls did not respond to pilot inputs. The instructor performed a forced landing to a field, resulting in substantial damage. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right main fuel tank was intact and void of fuel. The left main fuel tank was full. The fuel selector was found in the right main tank position and the selector valve operated normally after the accident. Based on the available information, it is likely that the entirety of the flight was conducted with the right main fuel tank selected, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.