Accident
On September 26, 2015, about 1200 mountain daylight time, a Beech C35 airplane, registration N1990D, made a forced landing to a dirt road near Belen, New Mexico. The pilot and three passengers were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Alexander Municipal Airport (E80), Belen, New Mexico, about 1100.
Pilot and Flight Details
The private rated pilot was taking three boy scouts on a sightseeing flight. He departed to the north and completed one touch-and-go landing at Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico, then proceeded south toward Los Lunas, New Mexico. He also completed several basic maneuvers and initiated a descent. About 3 miles northeast of E80, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the issue but was unable to restart the engine and elected to land on a dirt road. The pilot noted an airspeed of 70 mph during the emergency landing. The airplane continued on the road for about 600 ft when the left wing collided with a mesquite bush, rotating the airplane 180°. The airplane came to rest upright next to the dirt road about 1 mile north of E80.
Engine Examination
A postaccident engine examination was conducted by a local aircraft mechanic under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. The FAA inspector noted that the fuel strainer and fuel inlet screen to the pressure carburetor were clogged with contaminants, and there was a distinct odor of automotive fuel. The inspector added that the owner stated he had not used automotive fuel "much" lately. The inspector noted that the engine had been modified by supplemental type certificate (STC) SE01167SE that only allowed for the use of 100LL aviation fuel. An examination of the fuel doors revealed placards indicating that unleaded automotive gasoline was approved fuel for the airplane.
The pilot stated that the accident airplane had an approved automotive fuel STC in effect from March 1985 to October 2013. Since November 2013 he had used only 100LL fuel in the airplane.
Maintenance
A review of the maintenance logbooks showed that an airframe annual inspection and engine 100-hour inspection were completed on March 14, 2015.