Accident Summary
On June 4, 2023, at 1215 central daylight time, a Beech A36, registration N9169Q, was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The airline transport pilot and a passenger were uninjured. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that upon takeoff from the departure airport, both fuel tank gauges indicated “a little less” than ½ tank. After takeoff, the pilot flew the airplane about 12-15 miles west of the departure airport and practiced a few turns. Approximately 10-15 minutes elapsed before the pilot returned to the departure airport, intending to perform landings. During the descent check, the pilot switched fuel tanks from the left to the right fuel tank. At that time, the left fuel tank indication was just above the yellow arc, and the right fuel tank indication was about 3/8 of a tank. While on base leg for landing, the engine began to run rough and sustained a loss of engine power. The pilot switched fuel tanks, turned the boost pump on, and tried the ignition, but engine power could not be restored. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a road about one mile south of the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the horizontal stabilizer.
The pilot further stated that during recovery of the airplane from the accident site, he turned the battery on. The left fuel tank quantity gauge indicated about 1/4 full, and the right fuel tank quantity gauge indicated about 3/8 full.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the fuel selector was in the left fuel tank position, the auxiliary fuel pump was on, and the mixture was full rich. The left and right fuel tanks each contained about 10 gallons of fuel. According to the Beech A36 type certificate data sheet, the unusable fuel for the left and right tanks is 3 gallons per tank. A postaccident engine run was performed at engine speeds of 1,800 rpm and 2,300 rpm with the fuel selector positioned to the right fuel tank; no anomalies that precluded engine operation were noted. The fuel selector operated normally. The engine-driven pump, fuel control assembly, injector distributor valve, fuel injector lines, and fuel injectors were removed for functional testing, and no anomalies were noted.
Aircraft Manual Information
The Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH), Section VII, Systems Description, Fuel Required for Flight, states that it is the pilot’s responsibility to ascertain that the fuel quantity indicators are functioning and maintaining a reasonable degree of accuracy. This section also states that takeoff is prohibited if the fuel quantity indicators do not indicate above the yellow arc (13 gallons). The POH does not discuss operation of the airplane at fuel indications below the yellow arc for other phases of flight.
Additionally, the POH, Section III, Emergency Procedures, Engine Discrepancy Checks, Condition – Loss of Power, states to turn the auxiliary fuel pump on and lean the mixture as required. The auxiliary fuel pump is to be turned off if there is no performance improvement in a few moments. The Air Start procedure states to leave the auxiliary fuel pump on if the engine-driven pump is inoperative.