What happened
On the morning of November 7, 2010, a Beech 35-33, Debonair, departed from the Münster-Telgte airfield for a flight to St. Peter Ording. The flight, conducted under visual flight rules (VFR), was intended to be a short trip, with the pilot planning to return to Münster after a two-hour stay. The flight proceeded without technical issues until the aircraft approached the uncontrolled Münster-Telgte airfield from the northeast.
As the aircraft was on the downwind leg of the landing pattern for runway 10, the engine failed. According to passengers, the propeller stopped rotating immediately following the failure. With the landing gear extended, the aircraft lost altitude rapidly. At approximately 15:07 local time, the aircraft struck a field approximately 2,000 meters from the runway threshold. The impact, occurring at a 40-45 degree longitudinal pitch, destroyed the forward fuselage and caused the aircraft to slide 25 meters across the field. The accident resulted in four serious injuries involving the pilot and three passengers.
The investigation
The BFU examined the wreckage, engine components, and flight data. Investigators analyzed GPS logs from a Garmin 2496 unit and radar data from air traffic control, which confirmed the flight path. The engine's monitoring device, an EDM 700, was reviewed, showing no irregularities in engine operation prior to the loss of recording.
Physical examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel lines to the fuel distributor, flow meter, and throttle valve were dry. While a small amount of fuel was found in the tank selector drain valve, no fuel was present in the primary distribution lines. A microscopic examination of the fuel selector switch uncovered a strike mark, indicating the selector had been set to the "Left Tank" position prior to impact.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was a sudden engine failure during the approach phase.
- The aircraft's landing gear was in a partially failed state; while the left main gear was locked down, the right main gear had collapsed into the wheel well due to a broken torque link.
- The aircraft struck the ground with a significant nose-down pitch, leading to the destruction of the forward fuselage.
- Fuel levels were low in all tanks, with approximately 70 liters remaining in the left tank, 20 liters in the right tank, and only 5 liters in the auxiliary tank.