Accident Beechcraft E55 Baron N1567W,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 144676
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Wednesday 28 March 2012
Time:13:13
Type:Silhouette image of generic BE55 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Beechcraft E55 Baron
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N1567W
MSN: TE-862
Year of manufacture:1972
Total airframe hrs:3691 hours
Engine model:Continental IO 520 SERIES
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:NW of Broken Bow Airport, NE -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Dickinson Airport, ND (DIK/KDIK)
Destination airport:Russell Airport, KS (RSL/KRSL)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot said that he noted an imbalance between the left and right main fuel tanks during cruise flight. He attempted to correct the imbalance by placing the left fuel selector in the crossfeed position so that both engines would receive fuel from the right main fuel tank. About 15 minutes after the pilot selected the crossfeed position, both engines lost power. When the pilot reset the left and right fuel selectors to the left main and the right auxiliary fuel tanks, respectively, the left engine regained power and the right engine began "surging." The pilot decided not to shut down the right engine and diverted to the nearest suitable airport. During final approach, the right engine lost power completely, and the airspeed decayed until it approached the airplane’s minimum control airspeed. When the airplane drifted right of the runway centerline, the pilot reduced power on the left engine in an attempt to maintain control. The airplane impacted an open field near Broken Bow Airport (KBBW) and a postimpact fire ensued.

Postaccident examination revealed no airframe or engine anomalies consistent with a preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Both fuel selectors were positioned to their respective main fuel tanks. The pilot stated that the airplane was fully fueled before departure. The airplane fuel system was composed of two 37-gallon main fuel tanks and two 31-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks. The pilot stated that he had not used any of the fuel in the auxiliary tanks before the loss of engine power. The pilot's operating handbook noted that the crossfeed system was not to be used to transfer fuel from one tank to another or to balance fuel during flight. The simultaneous loss of engine power while both engines were receiving fuel from one fuel tank, the restoration of power on the left engine after switching fuel tanks, operation at or near the fuel endurance limit for the right main fuel tank, and the lack of anomalies identified during the engine exams are consistent with exhaustion of fuel in the right main tank.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed and subsequent loss of airplane control during a single-engine landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper fuel management during cruise flight, which resulted in an initial loss of power in both engines and the subsequent single-engine approach after power was restored on only one engine.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN12FA210
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 7 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB
http://nebraska.tv/story/17278171/plane-crashes-in-broken-bow-killing-one
http://www.theindependent.com/news/local/one-person-killed-in-broken-bow-plane-crash/article_eee0b456-7914-11e1-81c5-0019bb2963f4.html
http://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/airplane-crash-near-broken-bow-leaves-dead/article_b32e746c-bb08-5972-8806-f2963950139c.html
http://web.archive.org/web/20120330175831/http://www.1011now.com:80/news/headlines/One_Person_Killed_in_Plane_Crash_Near_Broken_Bow_Airport_144694195.html
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N1567W
https://www.ntsb.gov/aviationquery/brief.aspx?ev_id=20120328X02504&key=1

http://e0.photos.flightcdn.com/photos/retriever/00d0ce91824538063cb23079302c0070dd78a0b7 (photo)

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
29-Mar-2012 00:20 gerard57 Added
29-Mar-2012 03:33 RobertMB Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
07-Apr-2012 20:53 Geno Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
27-Nov-2017 20:26 ASN Update Bot Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]
06-Jun-2023 03:51 Ron Averes Updated [[Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org