N5818C

On September 25, 1999, at 1630 central daylight time, a Beech C35 airplane, N5818C, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence during takeoff roll from a field near Lone Grove, Oklahoma. The private pilot was not injured, and his three passengers sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The Halliburton Field Airport near Duncan, Oklahoma, was the flight's intended destination.

At 1600, the airplane departed from the McGehee Catfish Restaurant Airport, Marietta, Oklahoma. The pilot reported that during cruise flight, while en route to Duncan, with the fuel selector positioned to the left fuel tank, the engine lost power. An attempt to select the right fuel tank and restart the engine was unsuccessful, and a successful forced landing to a field was accomplished. The pilot further reported that after selecting the right fuel tank and starting the engine, he attempted a short field takeoff; however, the airplane "could not gain enough speed to keep flying."

According to the FAA inspector, the pilot had attempted an uphill takeoff on a heading of 030 degrees from a field with weeds approximately 18 inches tall. The airplane traveled uphill 165 yards through the weeds, struck a barbed wire fence, continued 70 yards and struck another fence. The airplane then traveled 35 yards to a ravine, crossed over the 45-foot wide ravine and continued for another 25 yards before coming to a stop upright on a heading of 330 degrees.

Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector revealed that the left wing was structurally damaged, the fuselage was buckled just aft of the wings, and both propeller blades were damaged. The nose landing gear was folded aft, the right main landing gear was twisted outward, and the left main landing gear collapsed. An examination of the fuel system revealed that both wing fuel tanks were empty, and the fuel selector was found positioned on the right fuel tank.

At 1650, 29 minutes prior to the accident, the wind at the Ardmore Municipal Airport, located about 15 miles east of the accident site, was from 130 degrees at 10 knots.