Beech C35 accident near Plano, Texas, July 15, 1995
On July 15, 1995 at about 6:43 pm local time, a Beech C35, registered N1997D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plano, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE IMPROPER POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR, AND FAILURE THE PILOT TO FOLLOW EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1995 · about 6:43 pm local time
- Place
- Plano, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N1997D · no longer on the register · serial D-3260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP AND ADDED FULL THROTTLE, BUT DID NOT SWITCH FUEL TANKS. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD; HOWEVER, PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK, AND THE LEFT MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY. FUEL WAS AVAILABLE IN THE RIGHT MAIN TANK. ALSO, THE SINGLE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE WAS SET TO INDICATE THE FUEL QUANTITY IN THE RIGHT MAIN TANK. THE MANUFACTURER'S EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CALLED FOR THE PILOT TO CHANGE TANKS FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD RECENTLY FOUND WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM AND BELIEVED THE POWER LOSS WAS A RESULT OF THE CONTAMINATION. A TRACE OF WATER WAS DRAINED FROM THE MAIN FUEL SUMP; HOWEVER, THE WATER LEVEL IN THE SUMP WAS BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE FUEL OUTLET TO THE ENGINE.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 829 hours in all; 750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,189 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 1994; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNC Lancaster TX
- Destination: F69
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from ADS, 5 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.