N7397R

**This report was modified on 2/23/2016. Please see the public docket for this accident for additional information.**

On September 3, 1997, at 1811 mountain daylight time, a Beech V35B, N7397R, nosed down in a ditch during an emergency landing following a loss of power while in cruise flight 3 miles southwest of Saguache, Colorado. The private pilot was not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated in San Rafael, California, about 6 hours before the accident. The planned destination was Englewood, Colorado.

According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight at either "11,500 or 13,500" feet above mean sea level (msl) when a total loss of power occurred. He said he attempted an engine restart without success and then tried to glide to the Saguache airport. He could not locate the airport and ended up landing in a field where the aircraft struck a fence and came to rest in an irrigation ditch. During the landing, both wings, the propeller, and the nose landing gear sustained substantial damage.

The aircraft was recovered by a repair station located in Alamosa, Colorado. Firefighters from the Saguache Volunteer Fire Department estimated that more than 25 gallons of fuel leaked into the ground and into the irrigation ditch from holes in both wings. According to the fire department incident report, the fuel spill was contained and cleaned up by firefighters and hazmat crews. The repair station also conducted an examination of the engine at the request of the Investigator In Charge. The examination provided no evidence of malfunction, and all damage was the result of impact forces.

It was not possible to definitively calculate aircraft performance due to lack of actual information regarding weight, temperature, cruise altitude, leaning, and power setting. In addition, the Continental TSIO-550B engine is a non standard application in the V35B aircraft. However, calculations were made using TSIO-550B engine performance information, standard conditions, the pilot's stated fuel load of 114 gallons at takeoff, and his stated cruise altitude between 11,500 and 13,500 feet msl. Using that information, calculations indicated that the engine would have burned about 14 gallons of fuel per hour in cruise flight. According to the pilot, he was airborne for about 6 hours, which results in a calculated fuel burn of about 84 gallons, leaving about 30 gallons on board. The actual fuel burn would be somewhat higher when takeoff and climb power are included.