Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary CHI92LA237

PONTIAC, MI, USA

Aircraft #1

N90RG

BEECH C90

Analysis

PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN HE STATED HE GOT A FUEL CROSSFEED 'WARNING' LIGHT. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE FUEL SYSTEM BY CYCLING THE RIGHT BOOST PUMP SWITCH, AND 'RESET AND ARM' THE AUTO CROSSFEED. HE STATED THE CROSSFEED LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT, AND HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN HE FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENGINE, THE LEFT ENGINE ALSO EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT CLEANED UP THE AIRPLANE AND DITCHED IN THE LAKE SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THE LEFT NACELLE TANK WAS COLLAPSED. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THE RIGHT NACELLE TANK CONTAINED 19 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSFER, AND CROSSFEED SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED, AND WERE OPERABLE. ALL COCKPIT FUEL SYSTEM LIGHTS INDICATED NORMAL SYSTEM OPERATION.

Probable Cause and Findings

THE PILOT'S NOT UNDERSTANDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT DISCONTINUANCE OF FUEL TO BOTH ENGINES.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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