ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 182157
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| Date: | Monday 8 July 1996 |
| Time: | 16:05 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft B55 Baron |
| Owner/operator: | Chase Aviation Ltd |
| Registration: | G-BFEE |
| MSN: | TE-921 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Trow Down, Berwick St. John, Wiltshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Dublin Airport, Dublin, Eire (DUB/EIDW) |
| Bournemouth Airport, Hurn (EGHH) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Written off (damaged beyond repair) 8/7/1996 when crashed at Trow Down, Berwick St. John, Wiltshire. Cause of crash was attributed to engine failure, caused by the aircraft running out of fuel. The Aircraft had flown that day from Bournemouth (Hurn) to Dublin to deliver an urgently need spare part for an aircraft grounded at Dublin Airport. The crash happened when the aircraft was en route back to Bournemouth (Hurn). According to the following extract from the official AAIB report into the accident:
"The engineer and pilot were transported across the Dublin Airport ramp to the unserviceable aircraft. The engineer effected the repair, and the aircraft was recorded as being serviceable again at 13:40 hours. The engineer and pilot then had lunch at the airport. The pilot filed the return VFR flight plan to Bournemouth and the weather was confirmed to be good for the route.
G-BFEE took off again at 14:52 hours, still using the Main fuel tanks. The aircraft climbed to the selected cruise altitude of 5,000 feet. The pilot then moved the fuel quantity indicator selector switch to the AUX position, under the misapprehension that this would transfer the fuel from the auxiliary tanks to the main tanks.The flight proceeded normally.
As the aircraft crossed Wiltshire, the pilot descended to 3,000 feet and began to reduce speed to 140 knots in anticipation of the arrival into Bournemouth. As the aircraft levelled off, the left engine began to run erratically, cutting out and then giving surges of power.
While attempting to control the aircraft directionally and analyse the problem, the right engine also failed. The aircraft had been turned towards Compton Abbas airfield as a possible immediate landing site. Yeovilton Radar had been informed of the situation and the 'Squawk 7700' transponder code was activated. The pilot realized that it would not be possible to reach Compton Abbas and selected a flat field for a forced landing.
However,on selecting the landing gear down, the glide angle steepened such that it would not reach the chosen field. The aircraft was approaching rising ground cultivated with an arable crop. The pilot selected full flap and stalled the aircraft onto the ground at about 16:05 hours on a southerly track. The impact was hard and the aircraft stopped in about 20 metres.
The pilot was wearing only a lap harness and sustained a minor head injury on impact with the instrument panel. The engineer had secured his full harness and sustained only minor bruising where the harness had been positioned. The engineer pulled the pilot out of the aircraft. There was no fire, so the he returned to the aircraft to pick up his mobile telephone and other items before calling for assistance. The emergency services had already been alerted by other witnesses to the accident.
On inspection of the aircraft by the operator and his engineering contractor, it was discovered that the Main fuel tanks were completely empty, but the Auxiliary tanks were still full. The engineer stated that he did not recall the pilot operating the fuel tank selector switches on the floor of the aircraft at all during the two flights".
Damage sustained to airframe: Per the AAIB report "Extensive" damage was sustained. Presumably, the damage was enough to render the airframe as "damaged beyond economic repair", as the registration G-BFEE was cancelled by the CAA almost a year later, on 22/4/1997.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/5422ff3c40f0b61342000913/dft_avsafety_pdf_500537.pdf
2. CAA: http://www.caa.co.uk/aircraft-registration/
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 10-Dec-2015 02:15 | Dr.John Smith | Added |
| 10-Dec-2015 02:16 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 10-Dec-2015 02:23 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Departure airport, Narrative] |
| 05-Jun-2023 06:58 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Departure airport, Narrative]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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