NYC04LA151

Factual narrative

On July 1, 2004, at 1502 eastern daylight time, a Beech 35, N5345E, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees after takeoff from Morgantown Airport (MGW), Morgantown, West Virginia. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight which was destined for the Somerset County Airport (2G9), Somerset, Pennsylvania. According to the pilot, he departed Somerset with the left fuel tank about half full, and the right fuel tank and two auxiliary tanks full (approximately 55 gallons total). He flew approximately 30 minutes to Morgantown, with the fuel selector set to the right tank. The pilot had lunch in Morgantown, and then departed runway 18, with the fuel selector set to the right tank, for the return flight to Somerset. During the takeoff climb, as the airplane reached the end of the runway, at an altitude of about 100 feet, the engine began to sputter and then lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane impacted trees and was substantially damaged. The pilot additionally stated that the airplane burned more fuel when the right tank was selected, since unused fuel from the engine is returned to the left fuel tank. Thus, the range, when selected to the right tank, was less than the depicted 25 gallons. The pilot stated that the cause of the accident was, "fuel starvation and simple pilot error." Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed the right fuel tank was ruptured, and the left fuel tank was approximately half full. The fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel injector, and the line from the fuel distributor to the cylinders contained no fuel. The fuel line from the fuel selector to the fuel pump contained residual fuel only. According to the Beechcraft BE-35 Pilot's Operating Handbook, the capacity for each of the main tanks was 17 gallons, and each of the two auxiliary tanks held 10 gallons of fuel (54 gallons total). The Systems Description Section of the Handbook stated, "The pressure type carburetor returns about 3 gallons per hour of excess fuel to the left main cell regardless of the cell selected." The fuel burn rate depicted in the Performance section of the Handbook was approximately 9.5 gallons per hour. The pilot departed with the right fuel tank full (approximately 17 gallons) and the left tank about half full. He flew for approximately 30 minutes with the right fuel tank selected, and landed at his destination airport. The pilot departed again with the right tank selected for the return flight. As the airplane reached the end of the runway, the engine began to sputter and then lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported that the airplane burned more fuel when the right tank was selected, since unused fuel from the engine is returned to the left fuel tank. The pilot stated that the cause of the accident was, "fuel starvation and simple pilot error." Examination of the airplane revealed the right fuel tank was ruptured, and the left fuel tank was approximately half full. The fuel lines from the fuel pump to the fuel injector, and the line from the fuel distributor to the cylinders contained no fuel. The fuel line from the fuel selector to the fuel pump contained residual fuel only. According to the Beechcraft BE-35 Pilot's Operating Handbook, "The pressure type carburetor returns about 3 gallons per hour of excess fuel to the left main cell regardless of the cell selected." The fuel burn rate depicted in the Performance section of the Handbook was approximately 9.5 gallons per hour. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12