The Beech S35 pilot reported that he was making a straight-in approach to land at the airport in Brownwood, Texas, when the engine lost power.
He attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. The airplane subsequently hit trees, cacti, and terrain during the attempted off-airport landing, and a post-impact fire ensued, which destroyed the fuselage.
The pilot sustained second- and third-degree burns, but he was able to extricate himself from the wreckage.
A post-accident examination of the engine revealed that foreign material was present on the fuel pump vanes, the fuel manifold, and the fuel metering unit inlet screen, which would have blocked the fuel flow to the engine.
No other anomalies were noted that would have prevented normal operation of the engine.
The foreign material closely matched polyester, but the source of the material could not be determined.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, which resulted from a foreign material in the fuel system blocking the fuel flow to the engine.
NTSB Identification: CEN14LA002
This October 2013 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
