What happened
On December 1, 2024, at approximately 13:00 MST, a Beech 3(35-33), registration N109V, was involved in an accident near Willcox, Arizona. The aircraft was being operated under Part 91 for personal flight purposes.
Prior to the accident, the pilot had been practicing stalls and steep turns. The pilot then descended to 7,200 feet MSL to perform GPS approach procedures for Cochise County Airport (P33). During the execution of the pre-landing checklist, the pilot moved the fuel selector valve from the left tank to the right tank. Shortly after this adjustment, the engine lost power.
In an attempt to restore power, the pilot switched the fuel selector back to the left tank, verified the mixture control position, and operated the fuel boost pump for five seconds. After switching the fuel tank positions a second time, the engine remained powerless. Due to the terrain and vegetation, the pilot extended the flaps and retracted the landing gear to facilitate a forced landing. The aircraft landed and slid approximately 260 feet across desert terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot was not injured.