BE35 PLT EXPERIENCES STRONG FUEL ODOR AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER FORCING AN OFF ARPT; GEAR UP LANDING.

Date: 2007-06 · Aircraft: Bonanza 35 · Phase: cruise

Anomalies: aircraft-equipment-problem-critical|ground-event-encounter-gear-up-landing|ground-event-encounter-other-unknown

Synopsis

BE35 PLT EXPERIENCES STRONG FUEL ODOR AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER FORCING AN OFF ARPT; GEAR UP LANDING.

Narrative

PREFLT; GND OPS; TKOF; CLB NORMAL. AFTER ESTABLISHING LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT APPROX 4500 FT MSL NEAR SEARS POINT; CA; FUEL ODOR WAS NOTED IN CABIN. NO OTHER ABNORMAL CONDITIONS/INDICATIONS OBSERVED AT THAT TIME. DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND TO INVESTIGATE SOURCE OF ODOR. ESTABLISHED COURSE TOWARD NEAREST ARPT; GNOSS FIELD ARPT (DVO); WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF ODOR. FUEL PRESSURE INDICATION SUDDENLY DECREASED TO ZERO PSI FOLLOWED BY ENG FAILURE. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART ENG USING AFM CHKLIST PROC UNSUCCESSFUL. PIC JUDGED ALT INSUFFICIENT TO REACH NEAREST ARPT (DVO); ELECTED TO LAND IN FLAT; SMOOTH; UNCULTIVATED FIELD WITH LNDG GEAR RETRACTED. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY IN SELECTED FIELD. ACFT TOUCHED DOWN UNDER CTL; WINGS LEVEL; IN SLIGHTLY NOSE-HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE; AT APPROX 65 MPH. ACFT SLID APPROX 300 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST IN UPRIGHT POS. OCCUPANTS (2) EXITED ACFT THROUGH MAIN CABIN DOOR. NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED BY EITHER OCCUPANT. NO FIRE OCCURRED. UPON REVIEWING ACTIONS AND EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT; IT IS UNCLR WHAT THE PIC MIGHT HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY TO PREVENT THE INCIDENT OR ACHIEVE A MORE DESIRABLE OUTCOME. A PROPER AND DILIGENT PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. ALL SYS AND INDICATIONS WERE CHKED AND OBSERVED TO BE NORMAL PRIOR TO TKOF AND DURING CLBOUT.

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