N17836

On May 24, 2005, at 1355 Eastern Standard Time, a Beech 36, N17836, registered to and operated by a private pilot, collided with a tree during a forced landing near Dahlonega, Georgia. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot was uninjured. The flight departed Gainesville, Georgia on May 24, 2005 at 1330.

According to the pilot, he prepared his airplane for a short cross-country flight. After the pre-flight he departed the Gainesville Airport and climbed to 3000 feet. Upon arrival at his destination the pilot flew over the airport and entered the traffic pattern for runway 33. The pilot then turned downwind and base to set up for his final approach to landing. As the pilot adjusted the power setting the manifold pressure began to drop. When the pilot advanced the throttle and the engine did not respond. The pilot switched fuel selector from the right fuel tank to the left fuel tank. The manifold pressure continued to drop and the engine lost power. The pilot selected a nearby road, and made an off field forced landing. During the landing roll the right wing struck a tree, and the airplane spun into a ditch.

The post-accident examination of the airplane revealed the outboard section of the right wing was broken off of the airframe. The nose section of the airplane was buckled downward and aft, and the nose gear was separated from the airframe. The left wing assembly was buckled. Examination of the right fuel tank revealed that it had less than a quart of fuel. The left fuel tank had approximately 12 gallons of fuel. According to the pilot, "a possible miscalculation of remaining fuel in the right tank, and more attention to fuel management may have prevented the emergency landing". Review of the pilot operating handbook: Before Landing checklist item #2 states: Fuel Selector Valve-SELECT FULLER TANK (feel for detent).