Accident Overview
On September 9, 2009, at approximately 1425 eastern daylight time, a Beech H35, registration N5469D, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Fredericksburg, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Dee Jay Airport (8PA1) in Ono, Pennsylvania, and was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot, aged 73, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and reported 1,003 total flight hours, with 760 hours in the same make and model. According to the pilot, the airplane experienced a total engine failure after takeoff with 10 gallons of fuel onboard, occurring at an altitude of 1,500 feet above mean sea level (msl). No further narrative details were provided by the pilot.
Forced Landing and Examination
News reports indicated the airplane landed in a backyard, and a news photograph showed no apparent damage to the propeller. The accident site was approximately in line with, and about 1,500 feet from, the runway 28 threshold of Farmers Pride Airport (9N7) in Fredericksburg. Terrain elevation in the area was about 500 feet msl.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane at the scene. The flight had lasted 20 to 25 minutes before the accident. The left wing was separated from the fuselage, and neither wing contained any notable amount of fuel, though some fuel may have drained from the left wing due to its resting position. The fuel selector was found on the right tank, and no mechanical anomalies were noted.
Fuel System Details
The airplane's pilot operating handbook (POH) stated that it is the pilot's responsibility to ensure fuel quantity indicators are functioning and to confirm ample fuel for a flight. The POH required a minimum of 10 gallons in each main tank before takeoff. The FAA inspector reported that the original carburetor fuel feed system for a Continental O-470-G engine had been replaced with a Continental Continuous Flow Fuel Injection System, similar to that used in later Continental IO-470-C engines. Excess fuel was returned to the left main tank. According to the fuel pump overhaul manual, the return flow rate was about 6 gallons per hour at 1,600 rpm and about 25 gallons per hour at 2,600 rpm. The original wobble fuel pump had been replaced with an electric boost pump.
Air Start Procedures
Air start procedures for the accident airplane were not available; however, procedures for a similar model (Beech J35) with a similar fuel injection installation were documented. These procedures instructed pilots to slow the airplane upon noticing conditions indicating imminent engine failure, switch fuel tanks, turn on the boost pump, adjust throttle, ensure full rich mixture, set propeller to full high rpm, and check ignition and electrical switches.
Examination Findings
The FAA inspector's examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The fuel selector position and lack of fuel in the wings, along with the pilot's report of only 10 gallons at takeoff, suggest fuel management issues, but the source does not state a probable cause for the accident.