At about 1645 Mountain time, the airplane collided with power lines and was substantially damaged. The private pilot was killed. Visual conditions prevailed. According to witnesses, the pilot announced over the Unicom frequency he was low on fuel and inbound for landing. A short time later, he stated the airplane was gliding. Another witness reported the airplane struck power lines east of the airport and went straight down. The airplane had two main tanks holding 25 gallons apiece, two 10-gallon auxiliary tanks and two tip tanks for an additional 20 gallons total. Approximately five gallons of a blue fluid that smelled like aviation fuel was drained from the left main tank; remaining tanks either were empty or breached. The airplane had three fuel selectors. The front valve was set to the AUX position. The left rear selector was in the OFF position while the right rear was in the AUX position.
March 12, 2010, Boulder City, Nev., Beech K35 Bonanza
At about 1645 Mountain time, the airplane collided with power lines and was substantially damaged. The private pilot was killed. Visual conditions prevailed. According to witnesses, the pilot announced over the Unicom frequency he was low on fuel and inbound for landing. A short time later, he stated the airplane was gliding. Another witness reported the airplane struck power lines east of the airport and went straight down.
Key Takeaways:
- A private pilot was killed when his airplane collided with power lines after he reported being low on fuel and then gliding.
- Only five gallons of fuel were found in one main tank, with all other tanks empty or breached, despite the aircraft having a 100-gallon total fuel capacity.
- Investigation revealed inconsistent fuel selector settings, including one selector in the 'OFF' position, suggesting potential fuel management issues.
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