ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 205448
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| Date: | Tuesday 30 January 2018 |
| Time: | 13:45 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft 35-A33 Debonair |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9378Y |
| MSN: | CD-270 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1960 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3475 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-470-J |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Helenwood, TN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Winder Airport, GA (WDR/KWDR) |
| Urbana Airport, OH (I74) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The private pilot and passenger were conducting a cross-country personal flight. About 1 hour 35 minutes after departing from an intermediary fuel stop, while in level cruise flight about 6,800 ft GPS altitude, the engine lost all power. The pilot stated that the engine gauges did not indicate any sign of overheating or other mechanical problems. He followed the emergency checklist and attempted to restart the engine without success. He subsequently broadcast a "mayday" call three times on the 121.5-MHz frequency but received no response. He attempted to glide the airplane to the nearest airport, but when he realized the airplane could not reach the airport, he conducted an emergency landing to a logging road in mountainous terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to wings and fuselage.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left auxiliary fuel tank was intact but empty. The left main fuel tank was intact, and between about 5 to 7 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left main fuel tank. The fuel pickup was separated at the wing root due to impact damage. Both the right auxiliary and right main fuel tanks were breached. About 7 to 10 gallons of fuel were recovered from the right main wing fuel tank. No fuel was present in the right auxiliary fuel tank. The electric auxiliary fuel pump switch was found in the "ON" position, and the fuel selector valve was found in the "AUX TANK" position, which was not the correct position for the air start procedure outlined in the Pilot Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Flight Manual. No fuel was present in either the fuel inlet line or the fuel return line. The fuel line between the fuel metering unit and the fuel manifold valve was removed at the throttle body, and about a teaspoon of fuel was recovered. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine and an engine test-run revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Given the lack of fuel in the fuel lines forward of the engine firewall; the fuel present in the main fuel cells; and no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe, engine, or its systems, it is likely that the pilot mismanaged the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. In addition, given that the fuel selector was found in the "AUX TANK" position, it is likely that the pilot did not follow the approved air start procedure in the Pilot Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual.
Probable Cause: The pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to follow the air start checklist.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=N9378Y
Location
Images:
Photos(c): NTSB
Media:
These images of the plane wreckage were provided by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office. You can see the dog who survived the crash. #WATE pic.twitter.com/tSxMOXBRZE
— Jennifer Webb (@WATEJennifer) 31 janvier 2018
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 31-Jan-2018 18:10 | gerard57 | Added |
| 31-Jan-2018 18:32 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Source] |
| 31-Jan-2018 19:53 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 31-Jan-2018 20:55 | Geno | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage] |
| 01-Feb-2018 11:12 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 01-Feb-2018 11:15 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Photo, ] |
| 05-Feb-2018 14:51 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Source] |
| 11-Nov-2019 17:41 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
| 06-Mar-2022 01:49 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category, Photo] |
| 06-Mar-2022 01:50 | Captain Adam | Updated [Photo] |
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