Beech J35 accident near Provo, Utah, November 5, 1997
On November 5, 1997 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech J35, registered N171Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah (Provo Municipal 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's failure to properly position the fuel tank selector to a tank with adequate fuel, which resulted in fuel starvation, and a subsequent forced landing due to lack of engine power. His failure (or inability) to extent the gear for landing was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1997 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N171Y · registry record · serial D-5467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed Salt Lake City and flew to Provo, Utah, where he made a full flap touch-and-go landing on runway 18. He retracted the flaps, applied full power, and lifted off. As the airplane began its initial climb, the pilot retracted the landing gear. As the gear doors closed, the engine lost power. The pilot lowered the nose to maintain airspeed, turned on the boost pump, and 'checked fuel selector and magnetos.' The engine failed to respond. The pilot then lowered the landing gear, but the airplane touched down on the runway prior to full gear extension. According to an FAA inspector, who went to the scene, the pilot had recently received a checkout in the Beech J35. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left auxiliary tank, which was empty. There was fuel in the main tanks.
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: 451 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 383 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,037 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1997; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PVU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 7,091 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from PVU
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.