Narrative:
At San Antonio, the Metro II commuter plane was refueled in the right wing with 125 gallons. After an 18-minute flight, while approaching Austin, the left engine failed due to fuel starvation. Failing to assure if the landing gear was down and locked, the crew continued their approach to runway 12R. After touchdown, the plane veered off the runway. It appeared that the crossflow valve had been off during the entire flight, thereby disabling fuel flow from the right wing tank to the fuel tank in the left wing.
PROBABLE CAUSE:
pilot in command - inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning
pilot in command - mismanagement of fuel
miscellaneous acts,conditions - fuel starvation
pilot in command - failed to assure the gear was down and locked
FACTORS:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - improper emergency procedures
pilot in command - failed to follow approved procedures,directives,etc.
complete power loss - complete engine failure/flameout-1 engine
Runway excursion
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Sunday 13 August 1978 |
| Time: | 16:43 |
| Type: |  Swearingen SA226-TC Metro II |
| Operator: | Tejas Airlines |
| Registration: | N300TL |
| MSN: | TC-238E |
| First flight: | 1977 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 16 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 18 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Austin-Robert Mueller Municipal, TX (AUS) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Landing (LDG) |
| Nature: | Domestic Scheduled Passenger |
| Departure airport: | San Antonio International Airport, TX (SAT/KSAT), United States of America |
| Austin-Robert Mueller Municipal, TX (AUS/KAUS), United States of America |
At San Antonio, the Metro II commuter plane was refueled in the right wing with 125 gallons. After an 18-minute flight, while approaching Austin, the left engine failed due to fuel starvation. Failing to assure if the landing gear was down and locked, the crew continued their approach to runway 12R. After touchdown, the plane veered off the runway. It appeared that the crossflow valve had been off during the entire flight, thereby disabling fuel flow from the right wing tank to the fuel tank in the left wing.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE:
pilot in command - inadequate preflight preparation and/or planning
pilot in command - mismanagement of fuel
miscellaneous acts,conditions - fuel starvation
pilot in command - failed to assure the gear was down and locked
FACTORS:
miscellaneous acts,conditions - improper emergency procedures
pilot in command - failed to follow approved procedures,directives,etc.
complete power loss - complete engine failure/flameout-1 engine
Classification:
Fuel starvationRunway excursion
Sources:
» NTSBPhotos
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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