Beech A33 accident near Grandview, Missouri, October 14, 2003
On October 14, 2003 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech A33, registered N471T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grandview, Missouri. 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
Separation of the fuel selector handle which resulted in fuel exhaustion and the subsequent loss of engine power. A factor was the hay bale that the airplane contacted during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2003 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grandview, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A33
- Registration
- N471T · registry record · serial CD293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with a hay bale during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported he attempted to switch the fuel selector from an auxiliary tank to a main fuel tank when the fuel handle came off in his hand. The pilot reported, "I put the handle back on the shaft but it would not move the selector valve. It would only spin on the shaft." He reported that shortly thereafter, the fuel in the auxiliary tank was exhausted and the engine lost power. The pilot reported he selected a field in which to make the forced landing. He stated that during the landing the left wing contacted a large hay bale that was in the field. Post accident inspection of the fuel selector indicated the roll pin which holds the selector handle on its shaft was missing. The pin was not located.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 17,217 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13,615 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 16, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,224 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 2002; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOP Topeka KS at 8:00 pm
- Destination: LXT Lee'S Summit MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from OJC, 10 miles away
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.