Beech G35 accident near Knoxville, Tennessee, September 6, 2008
On September 6, 2008 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech G35, registered N4403D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Knoxville, Tennessee (Knoxville Downtown Island Airp 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 improper fuel consumption calculations which resulted in total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 2008 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Knoxville, Tennessee · Knoxville Downtown Island Airp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N4403D · no longer on the register · serial D-4623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed with 15-20 gallons of fuel for the approximately 1 hour round-trip flight to a nearby airport. The outbound leg of the trip was the airplane's first flight since an annual inspection. Prior to the inspection, the airplane was not flown much and the fuel in the airplane was "old." The pilot performed a pre-flight inspection during which he sumped the fuel tanks and noted no contamination. During the return leg of the trip, as the airplane turned onto final approach for the airport, the engine lost power, which "sounded like the airplane quit getting gas to the engine." When the pilot realized he could not make it to the runway, he prepared for a forced landing to a river. The airplane "stalled" above the water, and after it touched down, both occupants egressed and swam to shore. Examination of the airplane after recovery from the river revealed both fuel tanks were empty. The pilot reported that the airplane burned approximately 10 gallons of fuel per hour; however, the airplane's Owner's Manual stated the engine consumed 13.6 – 14.1 gallons per hour.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Fuel exhaustion during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Ditching during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: October 20, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor E225 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1A6 Middlesboro KY at 7:30 pm
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from TYS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.