Beech A36 accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming, June 22, 2012
On June 22, 2012 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Beech A36, registered N4972M, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rock Springs, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation because of the incorrectly installed fuel cap. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to continue the flight using fuel from the left fuel tank after she observed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank cap.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 22, 2012 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N4972M · registry record · serial E-1275
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during an uneventful flight, she continued past her original destination to another destination. Shortly thereafter, the pilot observed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank cap and noted that the left fuel tank gauge indicated that the tank was about 3/4 full. The pilot continued the flight toward her new destination while continuing to use fuel from the left fuel tank. As the airplane neared the new destination, the pilot observed that the left fuel tank was about 1/2 full; the engine then lost power. After the engine lost power, the pilot switched fuel tanks and advanced both the throttle and mixture control levers; however, the engine did not restart, so she performed an off-airport landing to an open field. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that the fuel cap was not secured properly after refueling. As a result, fuel was siphoned from that fuel tank during the flight. Further, because the pilot had chosen to continue operating on that fuel tank, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation. A pressure differential likely resulted in the inaccurate fuel gauge indication. Examination of the left fuel tank cap and seal revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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 enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel storage › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 942 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 742 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 29, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,209 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bend OR at 2:17 pm
- Destination: Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from RKS, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.