SHOW LOW, AZ, USA
N5477D
Beech H35
While on short final the airplane drifted below the glide slope. The pilot advanced the throttle to find that the airplane had lost power. An attempt was made to restart the engine and the fuel tanks were switched, but the airplane was already at a low altitude. The airplane impacted the ground short of the runway. The auxiliary tanks were damaged from the impact and found dry, according to the recovery person. Friends of the pilot reportedly moved the wreckage and drained the fuel in the airplane before authorized inspection. Twenty-six gallons of fuel was removed from the left main. In a post crash examination, the engine tested successfully after an adjustment was made to a fuel line separation that had been damaged from impact. The pilot bought 35.5 gallons of fuel before the flight and by his own account filled the tanks.
On May 15, 2000, at 2145 hours mountain standard time, a Beech H35, N5477D, lost power, landed short, and collided with ground obstructions while on approach to Show Low Municipal Airport, Show Low, Arizona. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The certificated private pilot was not injured and his passenger received minor injuries. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight by a private owner under 14 CFR Part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated from Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, at 2045. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. According to the pilot, while about 0.25 miles from the runway on final approach, the aircraft drifted below the pilot's desired approach angle. He attempted to correct the condition by advancing the throttle but the engine did not respond. The aircraft landed about 120 feet short of the runway threshold and collided with ground obstructions. The engine was tested on May 19, 2000, and did not start initially. The fuel line was found separated at the selector. The aircraft recovery company representative observed impact damage on the underside of the airplane that extended to the fuel selector area. On May 22, 2000, the engine was retested. No further malfunctions were reported. The Beech has multiple fuel selector positions for the H35 model equipped with auxiliary fuel tanks such as this one. Extended range tanks are selected separately on the fuel selector switch. Both auxiliary tip-tanks were damaged from impact. The pilot stated having switched tanks after the power failure but as the airplane drifted below the glide slope, impact was imminent. The switch was found on the left main where 26 gallons of fuel was reportedly removed. Friends of the pilot reportedly had moved the wreckage and drained the fuel tanks before investigators could examine the airplane. There was fuel on the ground around the airplane wreckage. An investigation record found that the pilot bought 35.5 gallons of fuel before the flight. The pilot reported the tanks were filled before departure.
The pilot's failure to properly position the fuel selector to a tank with fuel resulting in fuel starvation, a loss of engine power, and subsequent collision with the ground during the final landing approach.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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