Beech 35 accident near Sardis, Mississippi, January 28, 1995
On January 28, 1995 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N5116C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sardis, Mississippi. 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
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION CAUSED BY A FUEL SELECTOR STEM FAILURE, DUE TO WEAR, THAT PRECLUDED THE PILOT FROM SELECTING A FUEL TANK THAT HAD FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1995 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sardis, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N5116C · no longer on the register · serial D-833
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WOBBLE PUMP STEM HAD FAILED DUE TO WEAR, WHICH RESULTED IN THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO SELECT ANOTHER FUEL TANK THAT HAD FUEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,050 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,956 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 20, 1994; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,560 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F24 Minden LA at 6:50 pm
- Destination: M08 Bolivr TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from TUP, 125 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.