Beech A36TC accident near Huntsville, Alabama, November 20, 2004
On November 20, 2004 at about 3:30 am local time, a Beech A36TC, registered N38047, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama (Huntsville International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a forced landing to an open field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2004 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Alabama · Huntsville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36TC · all A36TCs on the register
- Registration
- N38047 · no longer on the register · serial EA-176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was being vectored for the ILS 18L approach when the pilot reported a loss of engine power approximately 7 miles from the airport at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet mean sea level (MSL). The pilot stated that he switched main fuel tanks and performed the loss of power procedures as outlined in the Pilot's Operating Handbook, but his attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful. The pilot performed an off-airport landing with the gear retracted, and the airplane collided with the ground and slid to a stop. The left main fuel tank and left tip tank were empty with no evidence of fuel leakage. Approximately 36 gallons of fuel was recovered from the right main fuel tank, and the right tip tank was empty with no evidence of fuel leakage. The fuel selector handle was positioned to the right tank. Examination of the engine revealed continuity from the cockpit throttle and mixture controls to the fuel servo. The exhaust pipe was crushed. Examination of the top spark plugs revealed no evidence of abnormal wear or deposits. In preparation for a test run, the damaged propeller was removed and a Hartzell three-bladed club prop was installed. A three-inch by three-inch hole was cut in the exhaust pipe above the crushed area to facilitate exhaust flow, and the air inlet was cleared of mud. A portable fuel tank was connected to the supply fitting at the right wing root, and the fuel recovered from the right wing tank was utilized for the test run. An engine start was accomplished utilizing the cockpit controls; the engine started within four to five seconds and was observed to run smoothly. The engine idled smoothly at 700 to 750 rpm, and the engine operated smoothly up to 1900 rpm; higher rpms was not attempted. A magneto check was performed at 1900 rpm, and a drop of 75 rpm was observed for each.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 748 hours in all; 436 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-UB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAT San Antonio TN
- Destination: KHSV Huntsville AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18L
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 3:19 am from KHSV, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.