A decade or two ago an accident like this would have fallen into the 'for unknown reasons' category. [Credit: Leonardo Correa Luna]
Key Takeaways:
An experienced pilot died in the crash of his M35 Bonanza, which the NTSB determined was caused by mismanagement of the airplane's complex fuel system.
The Bonanza's unique fuel system caused auxiliary tanks to deplete rapidly due to unused fuel returning to the left main tank, potentially venting fuel overboard if the main was full.
The pilot, despite his experience, likely switched to the auxiliary tanks too late in the flight, leading to fuel starvation and engine failure, possibly due to unfamiliarity with this specific aircraft's fuel system configuration.
On a Friday evening early in January 2023, an Arkansas pilot died in the crash of his M35 Bonanza.
The airplane, manufactured in 1960, had been updated with, among other things, a couple of flight data recorders. Their memory cards survived the crash and allowed National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigators to trace in minute detail the events that led to it.
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Peter Garrison taught himself to use a slide rule and tin snips, built an airplane in his backyard, and flew it to Japan. He began contributing to FLYING in 1968, and he continues to share his columns, ""Technicalities"" and ""Aftermath,"" with FLYING readers.
