Beech N35 accident near South Bend, Indiana, September 12, 2017
On September 12, 2017 at about 6:35 pm local time, a 1960 Beech N35, registered N9368Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near South Bend, Indiana (South Bend International Airpo airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improperly seated fuel cap, which resulted in an in-flight fuel leak and subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 2017 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- South Bend, Indiana · South Bend International Airpo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 NO SERIES, built 1960 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N9368Y · no longer on the register · serial D-6569
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot reported that the airplane was nearing the destination at the conclusion of a long cross-country flight when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot declared an emergency and conducted a forced landing to a highway. During the forced landing, the airplane struck an elevated island and a car and was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed blue-colored fuel stains streaking from the right wing fuel filler aft to the trailing edge of the right wing flap. The right fuel tank contained 1 cup of fuel and the left fuel tank had about 10 gallons of fuel. The fuel cap and seat were unremarkable. An examination of the engine and remaining systems revealed no anomalies. It is likely that the right fuel cap was not seated properly before takeoff, which resulted in the siphoning of the fuel during the flight, and a subsequent total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during approach defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › (general) › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,983 hours in all; 460 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4,787 as pilot in command; 2,095 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 18, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,275 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,128 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB-10B (piston); 402 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOJC Olathe KS at 2:30 pm
- Destination: KSBN South Bend IN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 005° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from kSBN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN17LA348.