History of Flight
On May 1, 2021, at approximately 1428 eastern daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N125WC, was destroyed in an accident near Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight instructor sustained fatal injuries, and the pilot under instruction was seriously injured.
The pilot under instruction, who owned the airplane, reported that he performed a preflight inspection and checked fuel drains for water, finding none. According to ADS-B data, the airplane flew four legs that day. The pilot stated that after the first departure with full fuel tanks and the fuel selector on the left tank, he switched to the right tank about 30 minutes into the flight. The first leg ended with a full-stop landing at Sebring Regional Airport.
For the second leg, the pilot reported departing with the fuel selector on the right tank and later switching to the left tank en route to Arcadia Municipal Airport. The third leg, which the pilot did not recall, was from Arcadia to Bartow Executive Airport. The fuel selector position during this leg was not determined.
The accident leg departed from Bartow with the fuel selector on the left tank. The pilot planned an instrument approach to Lakeland. At about 4 nautical miles east-southeast of runway 27, the airplane entered the downwind leg. Approximately 30 minutes after selecting the left tank, the engine "absolutely quit." The pilot declared "your aircraft" to the instructor. He then moved the fuel selector to the right tank, checked magnetos, and turned on the auxiliary fuel pump, but the engine did not restart. He returned the selector to the left tank and attempted to restart, noting the engine "turned over" but did not start.
The pilots notified the controller of the power loss. ADS-B data showed the airplane turned toward the approach end of runway 27 but could not reach it. The last target was about 0.7 nautical miles east of the runway. The left wing struck a palm tree and the ground, and a post-impact fire ensued. The flight instructor initially survived but died 11 days later.
A witness video showed the airplane descending with minimal engine sound and landing gear retracted. The witness heard two or three restart attempts.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Beech A36 equipped with dual control yokes. The engine had been modified with a turbonormalizing system in 2001. The left and right main wing fuel tanks each had a capacity of 74 gallons. Total flight time for the four legs was about 1 hour 17 minutes, with an estimated maximum fuel consumption of about 28 gallons.
The manufacturer's Engine Failure emergency checklist includes steps such as selecting the other fuel tank and turning on the auxiliary fuel pump. The checklist's note states that the most probable cause of engine failure would be loss of fuel flow, improper ignition, or induction blockage.
Wreckage and Impact
Postaccident examination revealed a palm tree impact about 12 ft above ground, located about 4,069 ft east of runway 27. The airplane made ground contact 94 ft northwest of the tree, rolled about 45 ft, and struck an oak tree and a parked trailer before coming to rest.
At the site, brown grass was noted. The outer portion of the left wing was separated, and the left fuel tank appeared intact with no visible fuel. An unquantified amount of fuel was in the right tank. The cockpit and cabin were extensively heat damaged. The magneto switch was in the BOTH or RUN position, and the fuel selector was on the left tank.
Flight controls showed no preimpact failure. Fuel continuity was confirmed from each tank to the selector valve. The auxiliary fuel pump was heat damaged, but fuel lines were unobstructed. The airframe fuel strainer screen was clear with no fuel present.
The engine exhibited crankshaft and valve continuity. Thumb suction and compression were noted on all cylinders except the right front, which had impact damage. No obstructions were found in the air induction or exhaust systems. The turbocharger rotated freely. Ignition checks showed spark at all leads, though the left magneto had a cracked flange with signs of slippage.
The throttle body and metering valve were impact-separated. Operational testing revealed no preimpact failure. The No. 1 fuel injector nozzle was blocked by organic debris; others were clear after cleaning. The manifold valve passed spray pattern tests but showed slight out-of-tolerance at various fuel flows. The engine-driven fuel pump had no preimpact failure but slight seal leakage.