No fatalities

29 Jun 2008: Beech A23A — Sheboygan, WI

Sheboygan, WI, United States

On 29 Jun 2008, a Beech A23A was involved in an aviation accident near Sheboygan, WI. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The accident was caused by the pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. The drainage ditch also contributed to the accident. This summary draws on records from NTSB.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A Beech A23A lost engine power during its final approach, resulting in an impact with a drainage ditch.

What happened

On June 29, 2008, a Beech A23A, registration N701DW, was on final approach when the engine lost power. The aircraft subsequently impacted a six-foot-wide drainage ditch. The impact caused damage to the nose, the left landing gear, the left wing, and the lower fuselage structure. There were 2 minor injuries and **0 fatalities.

At the time of the accident, weather conditions were VMC with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 310 degrees at 07 knots. The pilot reported departing with 30 gallons of fuel, estimating 20 gallons in the right tank and 10 gallons in the left tank. The flight duration was approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes. Based on the pilot's planned fuel burn rate of 8.5 gallons per hour, the calculated fuel consumption for the flight was 19.8 gallons.

The investigation

Post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the right fuel tank was empty, while fuel remained in the left tank.

Probable cause

The accident was caused by the pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power. The drainage ditch also contributed to the accident.

Contributing factors

Causes

Incorrect use/operation

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome