Pilots Can Learn From NTSB Final Report on Bonanza Accident in Arizona

The agency’s findings focus on errors in fuel management.

Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 02:23 PM ET

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The NTSB concluded that fuel mismanagement led to the forced landing that damaged this Beechcraft Bonanza and injured its pilot. [Courtesy: NTSB]

Key Takeaways:

An NTSB report details an emergency landing of a Beechcraft F33A Bonanza due to engine power loss after takeoff, caused by the pilot activating the auxiliary fuel boost pump, leading to an over-rich fuel mixture.
The pilot used the boost pump to address cylinder overheating, reportedly based on a mechanic's prior suggestion, despite the aircraft's POH and placards specifying it should be off during takeoff.
The accident emphasizes the critical need for pilots to strictly adhere to manufacturer's operating manuals and placards for their specific aircraft's fuel system, as procedures vary significantly and improper use can lead to catastrophic engine failure.

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A recent National Transportation Safety Board final report on an emergency landing accident in Arizona is a reminder that fuel management entails more than monitoring the fuel level in the tanks and position of the selector valve.

According to the NTSB report, the accident aircraft, a 1975 Beechcraft F33A Bonanza, departed H. A. Clark Memorial Field Airport (KCMR) in Williams, Arizona, on January 26, 2022, at about 10:55 a.m. MST. The pilot had planned to fly to Eagle Airpark (A09) in Bullhead City, Arizona.

Jonathan Welsh

Jonathan Welsh is Lead Editor of Aviation Consumer and a private pilot who worked as a reporter, editor and columnist with the Wall Street Journal for 21 years, mostly covering the auto industry. His passion for aviation began in childhood with balsa-wood gliders his aunt would buy for him at the corner store. Follow Jonathan on Twitter @JonathanWelsh4