Beech C24R accident near Pollock, Louisiana, August 4, 1997
On August 4, 1997 at about 3:18 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N24PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pollock, Louisiana. 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 loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and the pilot's improper use of the fuel selector. Factors were the pilot's failure to use the checklist and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1997 · about 3:18 pm local time
- Place
- Pollock, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N24PS · registry record · serial MC-681
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight, at 5,500 feet AGL, the engine lost power. A forced landing was performed to a pipeline right-of-way, and during the landing roll the wheels of the aircraft encountered some soft ground and spun around structurally damaging the right wing and fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the left wing tank. The left wing fuel tank was empty, and the right wing fuel tank contained approximately 20 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that he 'forgot to switch tanks.' The Pilot's Operating Handbook for the aircraft states in Section III, Emergency Procedures, page 3-3, Engine Failure After Lift off And In Flight, 'Fuel Selector - SELECT OTHER TANK.'
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 28 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,948 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1997; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKO Muskogee OK
- Destination: NEW New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from ESF, 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.