Beech A23 accident near Campbellsville, Kentucky, November 12, 1994
On November 12, 1994 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N3584R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Campbellsville, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the mechanic's improper maintenance adjustment, which involved the misalignment of the fuel selector handle with the fuel selector valve. Related factors are the pilot's inadequate fuel management, and the rough/uneven terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1994 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Campbellsville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N3584R · no longer on the register · serial M760
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, 2 HOURS AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER AND AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING WAS MADE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED USEABLE FUEL AND THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. NO FUEL LEAKS WERE NOTED. THE PILOT SAID THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO THE LEFT TANK FOR THE ENTIRE FLIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR ASSEMBLY REVEALED THE PIN THAT ALIGNS THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS MISSING. THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS OFFSET 90-DEGREES FROM THE VALVE. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS POSITIONED ON THE LEFT TANK, THE VALVE WAS POSITIONED ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECEIVED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION THREE DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT HE ALIGNED THE VALVE AND HANDLE WITH THE PIN IN PLACE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,787 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,825 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 9, 1994; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346-A23 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IND Indianapolis IN at 11:36 am
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:06 pm from AAS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.