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| Date: | Tuesday 5 January 1993 |
| Time: | 22:21 LT |
| Type: |  Mitsubishi MU-2B-35 |
| Owner/operator: | Bering Air, Inc. |
| Registration: | N900YH |
| MSN: | 584 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1973 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6725 hours |
| Engine model: | GARRETT TPE331-6-252M |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | 18 nautical miles southeast of Nome, Alaska -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Bethel, AK (BET) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
AFTER MAKING A REFUELING STOP, THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT & WAS CRUISING AT FLIGHT LEVEL 200. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF FLIGHT, THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL FILTER BYPASS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ABOUT 2 MINUTES LATER, THE SAME WARNING LIGHT FOR THE LEFT ENGINE ILLUMINATED. SOON THEREAFTER THE RIGHT ENGINE, THEN THE LEFT ENGINE, LOST POWER. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A MOVING ICE PACK IN THE BERING SEA, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ICE WAS FOUND IN THE ENGINE & MAIN FUEL SCREENS. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF WATER AND/OR ICE WERE FOUND IN 3 TANKS, WHICH HAD BEEN REFUELED BEFORE TAKEOFF. A HIGHER THAN NORMAL AMOUNT OF WATER WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE FUEL SAMPLE TAKEN FROM THE NOZZLE OF THE REFUELING TANKER. THE FLIGHT MANUAL REQUIRED THAT AN APPROVED ICE INHIBITOR BE ADDED TO THE FUEL, IF NOT PREMIXED. FUEL AT THE REFUELING STOP WAS NOT PREMIXED & THE PILOT HAD NO ICING INHIBITOR (PRIST) WITH HIM ON THIS FLIGHT. HE DID NOT DRAIN FUEL FROM THE TANKS DURING PREFLIGHT, SINCE THE TEMPERATURE WAS SO COLD HE FEARED THE DRAIN MIGHT FREEZE OPEN.
Probable Cause: FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER REFUELING PROCEDURES BY THE FBO PERSONNEL, INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT, AND RESULTANT ICE IN THE FUEL, WHICH BLOCKED FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGINES. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC93LA025
FAA register: 2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?nNumberTxt=900YH
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 12-Sep-2013 16:51 | wf | Updated [Operator, Phase, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 30-Jan-2014 07:37 | onward | Updated [Date, Time, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Mar-2016 00:57 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 10-Apr-2024 16:02 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
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