ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 164881
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| Date: | Sunday 23 March 2014 |
| Time: | 14:10 |
| Type: |  Cessna L-19 Bird Dog |
| Owner/operator: | St. Pete Aerial Advertising |
| Registration: | N211PP |
| MSN: | 22956 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1951 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 10140 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-470 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tampa Bay, near Albert Whitted Airport (KSPG), St Petersburg, FL -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Banner and glider towing |
| Departure airport: | St. Petersburg, FL (SPG) |
| St. Petersburg, FL (SPG) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot departed on the 2-hour banner tow flight with 58 gallons of fuel onboard the airplane. After 1 hour, the pilot returned to the airport to pick up a different banner for the second hour of the flight. The pilot’s first pick-up attempt was unsuccessful. He then briefly circled the pick-up location and then completed the pick-up on the second attempt. During the initial climb, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot released the banner and conducted a forced landing to a saltwater bay.
Postrecovery examination of the fuel tanks revealed that the right main and auxiliary tanks were full of fuel and contained some saltwater. The left auxiliary tank was full of fuel and contained some saltwater, and the 18-gallon left main tank was empty and dry and contained no traces of either fuel or water. The pilot reported that the entire flight was conducted on the left main fuel tank. During a subsequent test run using the fuel that was onboard the airplane at the time of the accident, the engine operated with no anomalies or malfunctions.
Interpolation of fuel consumption chart data revealed that the engine could consume between 7 and 10 gallons per hour (gph) during cruise flight and, according to an engine manufacturer representative, it could consume up to 21 gph during a full-power climb. According to the pilot, the engine power loss occurred during the fifth climbout of the flight. According to the Pilot’s Operating Handbook, the fuel selector should be placed on the fullest tank before descent. Although the fuel selector was found in the right main tank position, the pilot did not recall switching the fuel selector to the right tank, and it is likely that he moved the fuel selector following the loss of engine power.
Probable Cause: The pilot's improper in-flight fuel management, which resulted in fuel exhaustion in the selected tank and a subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Mar-2014 03:24 | Geno | Added |
| 24-Mar-2014 21:49 | Geno | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 10-Apr-2014 23:52 | Geno | Updated [Time, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 29-Nov-2017 13:40 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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