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BE35 pilot experiences strong fuel odor and subsequent loss of power forcing an off airport; gear up landing.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 743725 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200706 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sgd.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 743725 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : gear up landing ground encounters other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : fuel pressure indicator other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : landed in emergency condition |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
Preflight; ground operations; takeoff; climb normal. After establishing level cruise flight at approximately 4500 ft MSL near sears point; ca; fuel odor was noted in cabin. No other abnormal conditions/indications observed at that time. Decision was made to land to investigate source of odor. Established course toward nearest airport; gnoss field airport (dvo); while attempting to determine source of odor. Fuel pressure indication suddenly decreased to zero psi followed by engine failure. Attempts to restart engine using afm checklist procedure unsuccessful. PIC judged altitude insufficient to reach nearest airport (dvo); elected to land in flat; smooth; uncultivated field with landing gear retracted. Landing was accomplished successfully in selected field. Aircraft touched down under control; wings level; in slightly nose-high pitch attitude; at approximately 65 mph. Aircraft slid approximately 300 ft before coming to rest in upright position. Occupants (2) exited aircraft through main cabin door. No injuries were incurred by either occupant. No fire occurred. Upon reviewing actions and events leading up to this incident; it is unclr what the PIC might have done differently to prevent the incident or achieve a more desirable outcome. A proper and diligent preflight inspection of the aircraft was accomplished with no defects noted. All system and indications were checked and observed to be normal prior to takeoff and during climb out.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BE35 PLT EXPERIENCES STRONG FUEL ODOR AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF POWER FORCING AN OFF ARPT; GEAR UP LANDING.
Narrative: PREFLT; GND OPS; TKOF; CLB NORMAL. AFTER ESTABLISHING LEVEL CRUISE FLT AT APPROX 4500 FT MSL NEAR SEARS POINT; CA; FUEL ODOR WAS NOTED IN CABIN. NO OTHER ABNORMAL CONDITIONS/INDICATIONS OBSERVED AT THAT TIME. DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND TO INVESTIGATE SOURCE OF ODOR. ESTABLISHED COURSE TOWARD NEAREST ARPT; GNOSS FIELD ARPT (DVO); WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DETERMINE SOURCE OF ODOR. FUEL PRESSURE INDICATION SUDDENLY DECREASED TO ZERO PSI FOLLOWED BY ENG FAILURE. ATTEMPTS TO RESTART ENG USING AFM CHKLIST PROC UNSUCCESSFUL. PIC JUDGED ALT INSUFFICIENT TO REACH NEAREST ARPT (DVO); ELECTED TO LAND IN FLAT; SMOOTH; UNCULTIVATED FIELD WITH LNDG GEAR RETRACTED. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY IN SELECTED FIELD. ACFT TOUCHED DOWN UNDER CTL; WINGS LEVEL; IN SLIGHTLY NOSE-HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE; AT APPROX 65 MPH. ACFT SLID APPROX 300 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST IN UPRIGHT POS. OCCUPANTS (2) EXITED ACFT THROUGH MAIN CABIN DOOR. NO INJURIES WERE INCURRED BY EITHER OCCUPANT. NO FIRE OCCURRED. UPON REVIEWING ACTIONS AND EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS INCIDENT; IT IS UNCLR WHAT THE PIC MIGHT HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY TO PREVENT THE INCIDENT OR ACHIEVE A MORE DESIRABLE OUTCOME. A PROPER AND DILIGENT PREFLT INSPECTION OF THE ACFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO DEFECTS NOTED. ALL SYS AND INDICATIONS WERE CHKED AND OBSERVED TO BE NORMAL PRIOR TO TKOF AND DURING CLBOUT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.