Accident Cessna 320 N4726X, Sunday 6 October 1991

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Date:	Sunday 6 October 1991
Time:	16:16 LT
Type:	Cessna 320
Owner/operator:	Private
Registration:	N4726X
MSN:	3200026
Engine model:	Continental TSIO-520B
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Gadsden, AL - United States of America
Phase:	Approach
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Panama City, FL (KPFN)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PLT WAS AWARE OF A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SYSTEM, SINCE FUEL FROM THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WOULD FEED QUICKER THAN FROM THE LEFT MAIN TANK. RATHER THAN HAVE THE A/C REPAIRED IN FLORIDA, HE ELECTED TO FLY THE A/C TO HIS HOME IN INDIANA TO HAVE THE REPAIRS DONE THERE. WHILE ON APPROACH TO A REFUELING STOP, HE REPORTED THAT BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A NEARBY FIELD. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LT TANK BOOST PUMP WAS INOP, AND THE FUEL SYSTEM CROSSFEED LINES WERE INCORRECTLY INSTALLED (NORMAL X-FEED WAS DISABLED). THUS, FUEL FROM THE RT, MAIN TANK WAS PRESSURE FED TO THE LT, MAIN TANK, AND THEN OVERBOARD, UNTIL THE RT TANK WAS EMPTIED, AND THE RT ENGINE QUIT. HOWEVER, FUEL WAS STILL AVAILABLE TO THE LT ENGINE. THEREFORE THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE PILOT SELECTED X-FEED ON THE LT FUEL SELECTOR AFTER THE RT ENGINE QUIT; THIS SUBSEQUENTLY SHUT OFF FUEL TO THE LT ENGINE.

Probable Cause: FUEL STARVATION DUE TO INCORRECT FUEL LINE INSTALLATIONS, AN INOPERATIVE FUEL BOOST PUMP, AND INCORRECT PILOT PROCEDURE. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL OPERATION WITH A KNOWN FUEL SYSTEM DEFICIENCY.

Accident investigation: