Guess the only way to stop this type of accident is to get that new
Diesel on the market?

Big John

Extracted from NTSB report.

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.

On March 15, 2004, at 0830 central standard time, a Beech A36
single-engine airplane, N789SA, was substantially damaged during a
forced landing following a loss of engine power five miles north of
the Lone Star Regional Airport (CXO), near Conroe, Texas. The
commercial pilot and one of his two passengers sustained serious
injuries. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was
registered to and operated by the pilot. Instrument metrological
conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was
filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight.
The cross-country flight originated from CXO at 0825, and was destined
for Wichita, Kansas.

One of the passengers reported that the pilot instructed the Fixed
Base Operator to "top off the mains and fill the tips half full." The
pilot rated passenger also stated that he did not see the pilot
conduct his preflight, but the pilot mentioned to him that he checked
the oil. The passenger checked the fuel tanks to see if "the fuel
instructions had been completed," and the mains were full and the tip
tanks were half full." At this time, the passenger "did not notice
anything unusual."

The passenger informed the pilot that he had some work to finish and
wanted to sit in the back. Due to the request of the pilot, he set in
one of the seats facing backwards. The passenger also stated that the
pilot started the engine and "no unusual sounds " were heard." While
the pilot was going through his checklist, "the engine quit" and the
pilot commented "hmm, never done that before." The pilot restarted the
engine, and taxied out to the run-up area. Shortly after takeoff, the
passenger stated he noted "the humming of the engine was not the
humming sound that he was used to hearing in that [air]plane." The
engine was "starting to misfire and sputter," as the passenger
observed the pilot turning back toward the airport, "because of the
unusual engine noises." Subsequently, at an altitude of 2,000 feet,
"the engine quit and the airplane was in a steep what seemed to be a
slip." The airplane impacted soft terrain near a residential area and
came to rest upright.

Examination of the airplane by the FAA inspector, who responded to the
accident site, revealed both main landing gears were crushed upward
through both wing structures. The engine was partially separated from
the airframe, and the fuel selector was observed in the "right"
position. Examination of the aircraft fuel tanks revealed both wingtip
tanks and main tanks were compromised. A "small sample of fuel
consistent with 100 low lead fuel" was extracted from the left main
fuel tank. A four-ounce fuel sample from the left wingtip tank was
"consistent with JET-A fuel."

The manager of the fixed base operator (FBO) where the aircraft was
last refueled reported that the fuel truck log sheets and interviews
with company personnel indicated the airplane was refueled with 53
gallons of JET-A fuel. The lineman, who refueled the aircraft,
reported he put 10 gallons in each wingtip tank and 33 gallons into
both main wing fuel tanks. The manager stated the lineman was recently
moved to the lineman position and had previously refueled four jets
earlier that morning using the JET-A truck with supervision of another
lineman.

At 0853, the automated weather observing system at CXO reported the
wind calm, visibility 3/4 statute mile, 100-foot overcast, temperature
61 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and an
altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of Mercury.