Accident Overview
On April 9, 2008, at approximately 1325 central daylight time, a single-engine Hawker Beechcraft G36 airplane, registration N984W, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near El Dorado, Kansas. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Hawker Beechcraft Corporation of Wichita, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 production test flight.
Flight and Forced Landing
The local flight departed Beech Factory Airport (BEC) in Wichita, Kansas at approximately 1310 for its maiden flight. While climbing through 5,000 feet, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. After an unsuccessful attempt to restart the engine, the pilot chose to perform a forced landing on a nearby road. During the landing rollout, the airplane's right wing contacted a fence post, resulting in structural damage. The airplane came to rest upright, and the pilot exited unassisted.
Post-Accident Examination
On April 11, 2008, representatives from Hawker Beechcraft Corporation and Teledyne Continental Motors examined the engine, with oversight from the Federal Aviation Administration. The examination revealed that brass plug part number 629518-1 had fallen out of the fuel manifold valve, leading to the loss of engine power. The threads on both the plug and the valve were found unremarkable, indicating that the plug had not been sufficiently torqued when last installed. The specific date of that installation could not be determined.