Beech 35 N8319D accident near State College, Pennsylvania

Probable cause

The pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

NTSB analysis

The airline transport pilot reported that he departed on a long, cross-country flight at night with full fuel tanks. The pilot stated that the fuel selector was set to the left main fuel tank on departure and that he moved the selector to the auxiliary tank about 1 hour later. About 1 to 2 hours after that, the pilot moved the fuel selector switch to the right main fuel tank, where it remained for the remainder of the flight (about 30 minutes). The flight was uneventful until it was on final approach to land and between about 400 and 500 ft above ground level, at which point, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot recalled the passenger saying there was no fuel pressure, and he immediately pushed the throttle and mixture full forward and retracted the flaps. He also turned on the auxiliary fuel pump and pressed the starter button to restart the engine to no avail. The pilot did not switch the fuel selector to another tank. Due to the low altitude, the pilot slowed the airplane and conducted an emergency landing in trees, during which both wings, the fuselage, and the tail section sustained substantial damage.

Postaccident examination of the engine and fuel system revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The fuel selector was found set to the right main fuel tank, which was found empty of fuel. However, measurable fuel was found in the remaining three tanks. Therefore, the loss of engine power was likely due to the pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in the loss of all engine power due to fuel starvation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA024 for the full record.