HEBER CITY, UT, USA
N667B
BEECH A35
DURING CRUISE A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED AND THE PILOT INITIATED A FORCED LANDING AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. DURING HIS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 03 THE PILOT EXTENDED HIS PATTERN DUE TO A GLIDER IN TOW IN THE LANDING PATTERN. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN 100 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY COMING TO REST ON THE RUNWAY IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED UPWARDS CRUSHING OF THE FUSELAGE UNDERSIDE. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND TO BE RETRACTED AND THE GEAR WERE WITHIN THEIR WHEEL WELLS. POST CRASH EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE ROLL PIN WHICH ENGAGES THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE TO THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SHAFT WAS ABSENT, AND THE HANDLE WAS OBSERVED TO ROTATE FREELY ON THE VALVE SHAFT.
On October 1, 1993, at approximately 1130 hours mountain daylight time (MDT), a Beech A35, N667B, registered to Robert R. and Bobbi Sue Weyland, and being flown by Jerald D. King, a certificated private pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing just short of runway 3 at the Heber Valley Airport, Heber City, Utah. The pilot and his two passengers were uninjured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was personal in nature, was to have been operated in accordance with the requirements set forth in 14CFR91 and originated from Salt Lake City (Municipal Airport No. 2) at approximately 0830 hours. Two certified requests for the completion of NTSB Form 6120.1/2 were issued to the pilot, however, no response was received as of the date of this report. An FAA inspector reported that the aircraft impacted the ground approximately 100 feet short of the runway and slid up onto the pavement resulting in the collapse of the partially extended landing gear and upward crushing of the aircraft's underside (refer to attached FAA Form 8020-16). The pilot reported to the FAA inspector that while on a local flight he lost engine power and, after being unable to restart the engine, set up for an emergency landing at the Heber Valley Airport. The pilot reported that he extended his approach turn during the forced landing due to a glider under tow in the landing pattern, and touched down short of the landing threshold. The FAA inspector who examined the aircraft subsequent to the accident reported that the roll pin inserted through the fuel selector handle and into the fuel selector valve shaft was absent (refer to photograph 01). The fuel selector handle was found to rotate freely about the fuel selector valve shaft during the examination. A search for the roll pin was undertaken, however, the pin could not be located. Post crash examination of the airframe revealed that the flaps were retracted and the landing gear were within their respective wheel wells with minimal damage to the underside of the wing surfaces (refer to photographs 02 and 03).
FUEL STARVATION BROUGHT ON BY THE ABSENCE OF THE ROLL PIN WHICH ENGAGES THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE TO THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SHAFT, AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S MISJUDGING HIS FLARE RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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