Beech D95A accident near Olathe, Kansas, January 17, 1997
On January 17, 1997 at about 6:46 pm local time, a Beech D95A, registered N44BP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olathe, Kansas (Johnson County Executive 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot improperly selecting the 'off' position on the left engine fuel selector valve, his failure to verify the fuel selector valve's proper position prior to landing, and his inability to obtain best rate-of-climb single-engine speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1997 · about 6:46 pm local time
- Place
- Olathe, Kansas · Johnson County Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D95A · all D95As on the register
- Registration
- N44BP · registry record · serial TD-578
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in the flare for landing when the tower told the pilot, ' you are not going to make it; go around.' The pilot applied full throttle and established a climb attitude. The pilot then noticed the airplane yaw to the left. The pilot applied full right rudder, turned into the right engine and verified that the right engine was at full power. 'The airplane was not climbing and was continuing to yaw to the left.' The airplane continued its turn to the left and began to descend. The pilot elected to put the airplane down in a field sort of some houses. The airplane slid across the field, struck some trees, and airplane spun around before coming to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left engine fuel selector switch was in the OFF position.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 890 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 806 as pilot in command; 473 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,355 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1996; 187 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLV Leavenworth KS at 6:30 pm
- Destination: OJC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,099 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from OJC, 1 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.