Narrative:
Boeing Stratoliner N19903, built in 1940, was restored to flying conditions and rolled out on June 23, 2001 in Seattle. The aircraft was restored to original condition with Pan American Airlines livery, carrying the name "Clipper Flying Cloud". On March 28, 2002 the aircraft took off from Boeing Field for a local flight around 12:30. The crew were to practice takeoffs and landings and shake out any mechanical problems. Both pilots were planning to do three takeoffs and landings each, with a refueling stop in between. The first pair were uneventful, with the plane flying from Boeing Field to Everett-Paine Field. On takeoff there, at 12:51, the No. 3 engine surged briefly. It returned to normal, but the pilots decided to abort the rest of the practice and return to Boeing Field. On approach it appeared that the left-main landing gear had not locked down. The approach was aborted and the plane circled Vashon and Bainbridge islands as the flight mechanic manually cranked the wheel into the locked position. The pilot then resumed its approach. The airplane was about 6 miles from the runway when fuel pressure for the number three engine dropped below minimum. The boost pumps were turned on; however, fuel pressure did not recover, and the engine lost power. The low fuel pressure light then illuminated for the number four engine. The captain commanded the flight engineer to switch fuel feed to another tank. The flight engineer's response was, "There is no other tank. We're out of fuel." The captain pushed the throttles forward and called for the number three engine to be feathered. When the throttles were pushed forward, multiple engine surges occurred. Then the surging stopped, and it appeared that the remaining engines had also lost power. The airplane was rapidly losing altitude and the captain decided to ditch in Elliott Bay. After landing, the airplane remained afloat while the crew evacuated. They were quickly picked up by rescue boats. The airplane was subsequently towed to shallower water by a Seattle Police Department boat before it partially sank in the water just offshore. The day after the accident, the aircraft was lifted from the water.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of all engine power due to fuel exhaustion that resulted from the flight crew's failure to accurately determine onboard fuel during the pre-flight inspection. A factor contributing to the accident was a lack of adequate crew communication regarding the fuel status."
Ditching
» NTSB
» Seattle Times
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Thursday 28 March 2002 |
| Time: | 13:10 |
| Type: |  Boeing S.307 Stratoliner |
| Operator: | National Air & Space Museum |
| Registration: | N19903 |
| MSN: | 2003 |
| First flight: | 1940 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 20577 |
| Engines: | 4 Wright R-1820-97 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Aircraft fate: | Repaired |
| Location: | Elliott Bay, WA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Approach (APR) |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Seattle-Boeing Field International Airport, WA (BFI/KBFI), United States of America |
| Seattle-Boeing Field International Airport, WA (BFI/KBFI), United States of America |
Boeing Stratoliner N19903, built in 1940, was restored to flying conditions and rolled out on June 23, 2001 in Seattle. The aircraft was restored to original condition with Pan American Airlines livery, carrying the name "Clipper Flying Cloud". On March 28, 2002 the aircraft took off from Boeing Field for a local flight around 12:30. The crew were to practice takeoffs and landings and shake out any mechanical problems. Both pilots were planning to do three takeoffs and landings each, with a refueling stop in between. The first pair were uneventful, with the plane flying from Boeing Field to Everett-Paine Field. On takeoff there, at 12:51, the No. 3 engine surged briefly. It returned to normal, but the pilots decided to abort the rest of the practice and return to Boeing Field. On approach it appeared that the left-main landing gear had not locked down. The approach was aborted and the plane circled Vashon and Bainbridge islands as the flight mechanic manually cranked the wheel into the locked position. The pilot then resumed its approach. The airplane was about 6 miles from the runway when fuel pressure for the number three engine dropped below minimum. The boost pumps were turned on; however, fuel pressure did not recover, and the engine lost power. The low fuel pressure light then illuminated for the number four engine. The captain commanded the flight engineer to switch fuel feed to another tank. The flight engineer's response was, "There is no other tank. We're out of fuel." The captain pushed the throttles forward and called for the number three engine to be feathered. When the throttles were pushed forward, multiple engine surges occurred. Then the surging stopped, and it appeared that the remaining engines had also lost power. The airplane was rapidly losing altitude and the captain decided to ditch in Elliott Bay. After landing, the airplane remained afloat while the crew evacuated. They were quickly picked up by rescue boats. The airplane was subsequently towed to shallower water by a Seattle Police Department boat before it partially sank in the water just offshore. The day after the accident, the aircraft was lifted from the water.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "Loss of all engine power due to fuel exhaustion that resulted from the flight crew's failure to accurately determine onboard fuel during the pre-flight inspection. A factor contributing to the accident was a lack of adequate crew communication regarding the fuel status."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Fuel exhaustion Ditching
Sources:
» AP» NTSB
» Seattle Times
Photos
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
accident date: 28-03-2002
type: Boeing S.307 Stratoliner
registration: N19903
Map
This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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