Narrative:At Cessna's manufacturing facility in Independence, KS (IDP), a new Cessna Mustang aircraft was sold to a customer in Croatia. Cessna N13616 was registered to Globe Aero. This company sold the aircraft. After the production test flight, the aircraft was painted for the new owner with the Croatian registration numbers. For the flight from IDP to Croatia, the Croatian registration numbers on the tail and under the left wing were covered with a large portion of white plastic. The plastic was nearly the same color as the aircraft, and the largest piece placed under the left wing covered the left fuel tank air vent. A U.S. registration number N13616 was temporarily applied to the plastic sheet on the tail of the aircraft. Descending towards Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Airport, PA (AGC), while passing 18,000 feet the crew heard a bang and nothing unusual was noticed with the aircraft at that time. A short time later the left engine fuel pressure low light illuminated. During the review of the low fuel pressure procedures, the top of the left wing was observed to be distorted and a second bang was heard. The aircraft continued the descent and landed at AGC at 20:00 with no further incident. Inspection revealed the plastic covering the fuel vent and the Croatian registration numbers was still in place. The left wing's upper and lower skin making the upper and lower sections of the fuel tank was collapsed. The collapsed section was approximately 3/4 of the wing from the root outwards. the depth was near 3 inches. The lower wing skin was punctured from the inside of the fuel tank by two broken ribs or formers protruding approximately 2 inches by 1 inch square.
The aircraft was repaired and delivered February 28, 2008.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The flight crew's inadequate preflight, which failed to detect the blockage of the left wing's fuel vent port."
Accident investigation:
|
Investigating agency: | NTSB |
Status: | Investigation completed |
Duration: | 103 days (3 months) | Accident number: | MIA08CA046 | Download report: | Summary report
|
|
Sources:
» NTSB Identification: MIA08CA046.
» FAA
Photos
Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does
not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Independence Airport, KS to Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Airport, PA as the crow flies is 1408 km (880 miles).
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.