14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, September 26, 2012 in Greeley, CO
Probable Cause Approval Date: 06/22/2015
Aircraft: BEECH E33, registration: N7133N
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
Before the flight, a mechanic assisted the pilot with adjusting the engine mixture settings during several engine starts and run-ups. The pilot was satisfied with the adjustments and proceeded with the local test flight. Witnesses reported observing the airplane climb out normally and then start to circle the airport. The airplane then descended toward the airport as the pilot declared an emergency due to engine problems. The pilot landed the airplane in a plowed field with the gear up, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that may have contributed to the reported loss of power. Additionally, the slave propeller was replaced, and the engine was test run on the airframe up to full power with no anomalies noted except for slight fuel flow indicator fluctuations.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations and testing.
On September 26, 2012, approximately 1500 mountain daylight time, a Beech E33, N7133N, registered to All Seasons Window Cleaning LLC, of Broomfield, Colorado, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the Greeley-Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
On the morning of the flight, the pilot/owner asked a local A&P mechanic to take a look at airplane's fuel system. The mechanic opened the engine cowling and found nothing out-of-the-normal visually. He then disconnected the fuel line between the fuel pump and the throttle body, unmetered fuel, and installed a remote pressure gauge to check to see where the fuel pressure was set. After removing the right side inspection cover of the lower cowling to access the throttle body, and while the pilot operated the engine from the cockpit controls, he found that the idle mixture was slightly rich and the fuel pressure at idle was within specifications. He readjusted the idle mixture setting at the throttle body and then checked the fuel pressure which was within specifications. The engine was shut down twice, restarted and the fuel pressure at idle and idle mixture settings were checked again. The pilot said that the engine ran so much better after making the idle mixture adjustments. After making final checks for fuel pressure and the locknuts on the idle mixture arm and an overall visual check of the engine compartment, the cowls were reinstalled.
After a normal run-up, the pilot took off from runway 9 for a local test flight. The airplane was seen climbing out normally and started to circle the airport. The airplane then descended toward the approach end of runway 27 as the pilot declared an emergency due to engine problems. The airplane landed in plowed field gear up about 1/2 mile from the approach end of runway 27.
After the accident, the airplane was moved to a local facility for further examination. FAA inspectors examined the wreckage and could not determine the cause of the loss of engine power. An engine run was attempted on January 3, 2013, at Beegles Aircraft in Greeley, CO. The engine was run on the airframe with a different, unbent slave propeller and taken through a series of tests up to full power. No anomalies were noted with the exception of slight fuel flow indicator fluctuations. There was nothing found that may have contributed attributed to the reported loss of power by the pilot.
NTSB Identification: CEN12LA675
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Wednesday, September 26, 2012 in Greeley, CO
Aircraft: BEECH E33, registration: N7133N
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On September 26, 2012, approximately 1500 mountain daylight time, a Beech E33, N7133N, registered to All Seasons Window Cleaning LLC, of Broomfield, Colorado, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the Greeley-Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
On the morning of the flight, the pilot/owner asked a local A&P mechanic to take a look at airplane's fuel system. The mechanic opened the engine cowling and found nothing out-of-the-normal visually. He then disconnected the fuel line between the fuel pump and the throttle body, unmetered fuel, and installed a remote pressure gauge to check to see where the fuel pressure was set. After removing the right side inspection cover of the lower cowling to access the throttle body, and while the pilot operated the engine from the cockpit controls, he found that the idle mixture was slightly rich and the fuel pressure at idle was within specifications. He readjusted the idle mixture setting at the
throttle body and then checked the fuel pressure which was within specifications. The engine was shut down twice, restarted and the fuel pressure at idle and idle mixture settings were checked again. The pilot said that the engine ran so much better after making the idle mixture adjustments. After making final checks for fuel pressure and the locknuts on the idle mixture arm and an overall visual check of the engine compartment, the cowls were reinstalled.
After a normal run-up, the pilot took off from runway 9 for a local test flight. The airplane was seen climbing out normally and started to circle the airport. The airplane then descended toward the approach end of runway 27 as the pilot declared an emergency due to engine problems. The airplane landed in plowed field gear up about 1/2 mile from the approach end of runway 27.
After the accident, the airplane was moved to a local facility for further examination.
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 7133N Make/Model: BE33 Description: 33 Debonair, Bonanza
Date: 09/26/2012 Time: 2100
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Minor
LOCATION
City: GREELEY State: CO Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, NEAR GREELEY, CO
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO (NM03) Entry date: 09/27/2012
A single-engine plane was forced to land in a bean field east of Greeley-Weld County Airport on Wednesday after experiencing engine trouble shortly after taking off. The pilot walked away with no injuries.
Authorities at the scene said Tim
Pritchard of Longmont made a smooth landing around 2:30 p.m. in his
Beechcraft Bonanza. Dale Lyman, a Greeley Fire Department spokesman,
said Pritchard was standing outside the aircraft when crews arrived.
Lyman said the plane’s engine had recently
been worked on, and Pritchard noticed engine trouble just after
takeoff. He said Pritchard spotted the plowed field and was able to land
the plane, causing minor damage to the plane’s propeller and underside.
Pritchard was the only person aboard.
Greeley police said initial reports
indicated that smoke was billowing from the plane before it landed, but
fire officials said there was no fire and nothing leaking from the
plane.
Aliza Wilson-Wheeler, an airport
operations specialist, said the National Transportation Safety Board had
released the plane to be removed from the field. Pritchard remained at
the site as workers from Beegles Aircraft Service used a crane to load
the aircraft onto a truck.
The aircraft is registered to All Seasons Window Cleaning Inc.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com
http://www.greeleytribune.com
The propeller of a Beechcraft Bonanza plane was bent during a forced landing in a field near the Greeley-Weld County Airport.
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