BE35 PLT HAD FUEL CONTAMINATION; HAD AN ENG FAILURE; AND DEAD STICKED THE ACFT INTO TVL. PLT BROADCASTED ON ANOTHER UNRELATED FREQ; NOT REALIZING ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG MIGHT NOT HAVE FREQ BEING UTILIZED.

Date: 2003-12 · Aircraft: Bonanza 35 · Phase: approach

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy

Synopsis

BE35 PLT HAD FUEL CONTAMINATION; HAD AN ENG FAILURE; AND DEAD STICKED THE ACFT INTO TVL. PLT BROADCASTED ON ANOTHER UNRELATED FREQ; NOT REALIZING ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG MIGHT NOT HAVE FREQ BEING UTILIZED.

Narrative

ON DEC/MON/03; ARRIVED AT CARSON ARPT IN CARSON CITY; NV; AFTER A 6 HR FLT FROM NEW MEXICO. HAD LCL FBO TOP OFF BOTH MAIN TANKS IN WING. DEPARTED FOLLOWING MORNING APPROX XA00 LCL FOR SIGHT-SEEING; PLEASURE FLT WITH 2 PAX ABOARD. AFTER A SHORT FLT TO LAKE TAHOE AND OVER THE MIDDLE OF THE LAKE; EXPERIENCED PWR FAILURE. IMMEDIATELY LOOKED FOR A LNDG SITE; AND SPOTTED ARPT TO S SIDE OF LAKE. NOT KNOWING AREA; DID NOT KNOW THAT ARPT WAS IN CALIFORNIA; NOT NEVADA; AND MADE RADIO CALL TO TWR DECLARING EMER; BUT ON WRONG FREQ. CHKED FOR TFC AND LANDED. FOUND CONTAMINATED FUEL IN BOTH MAIN TANKS. SWITCHED TO AUX TIP TANKS; AND RETURNED TO CARSON ARPT AFTER EXTENSIVE RUN-UPS. ADVISED FBO OF PROB. PRIOR TO LEAVING SOUTH TAHOE ARPT; SPOKE TO TWR OPERATORS; BUT THEY WERE NOT SYMPATHETIC TO EMER SIT; AND WERE UPSET THAT THEY WERE NOT CONTACTED BY RADIO. TWR OPERATORS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF SIT IN COCKPIT DURING LOSS OF PWR; AND DO MORE TO HELP RATHER THAN INSISTING ON REPEATED AND LENGTHY TELEPHONE CONVERSATIONS AFTER EVENT HAS OCCURRED.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.