Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary MKC89FA116

GREENWOOD, IN, USA

Aircraft #1

N8450N

BEECH D55

Analysis

THE PLT & PAX WERE ON A FLT FM SIOUX FALLS (FSD), SD TO INDIANAPOLIS (IND), IN, TO ATND THE INDY 500 RACE. SINCE TFC WASHVY, AN ARRIVAL RESERVATION PROGRAM WAS IN EFFECT AT IND. THE PLT RPRTD HE DEPD FSD WITH THE MAIN FUEL TANKS FULL & THE AUX TANKS FILLED TO ABT 2' BLO THE FILLER NECKS. AN UNSCHED STOP WAS MADE AT CRAWFORDSVILLE (CFJ), APRX 35 MI NW OF IND.AT CFJ, THE PLT ORDERED FUEL & CALLED FSS TO GET A NEW ARRIVAL TIME AT IND, BUT DIDN'T VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL BFR TAKE-OFF. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR AN ILS RWY 31 APCH TO IND, THE PLT RPRTD A MAJOR FUEL PROBLEM. WITNESSES HEARD THE ENG(S) LOSING PWR. THE ACFT WAS MNVRD TO LND IN A SPORTS FLD; HOWEVER, IT IMPACTED SHORT OF THE FLD & HIT A STUMP, STACK OF BRICKS & FENCING/BACKSTOP BFR COMING TO REST ON FIRE. NO PREIMPACT MECH PRBLM WAS FND. THE FLAPS & LNDG GEAR WERE FND RETRACTED. THE FBO AT CFJ STATED THE OUTBOARD (AUX) TANKS SVCD WITH 55 GAL OF FUEL PER P INSTRUCTIONS (MAINS NOT SVCD). THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE FND PSND TO THE MAIN TANKS. FUEL SAMPLES CHECKED NORMAL, THOUGH FUEL ATNDNT INDCD PSBL JET FUEL.

Probable Cause and Findings

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION, AND IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: SELF INDUCED PRESSURE BY THE PILOT TO MEET AN ARRIVAL TIME, HIS FAILURE TO EXTEND THE FLAPS BEFORE LANDING, AND THE OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE STUMP, STACK OF BRICKS, AND FENCING/BACKSTOP) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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