ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287655
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| Date: | Friday 22 June 2012 |
| Time: | 10:00 LT |
| Type: |  Beechcraft A36 |
| Owner/operator: | Jana Vanamburg |
| Registration: | N4972M |
| MSN: | E-1275 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3209 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO 520 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Rock Springs, Wyoming -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Bend, OR |
| Rock Springs, WY | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that during an uneventful flight, she continued past her original destination to another destination. Shortly thereafter, the pilot observed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank cap and noted that the left fuel tank gauge indicated that the tank was about 3/4 full. The pilot continued the flight toward her new destination while continuing to use fuel from the left fuel tank. As the airplane neared the new destination, the pilot observed that the left fuel tank was about 1/2 full; the engine then lost power.
After the engine lost power, the pilot switched fuel tanks and advanced both the throttle and mixture control levers; however, the engine did not restart, so she performed an off-airport landing to an open field. During a postaccident interview, the pilot stated that the fuel cap was not secured properly after refueling. As a result, fuel was siphoned from that fuel tank during the flight. Further, because the pilot had chosen to continue operating on that fuel tank, the engine lost power due to fuel starvation. A pressure differential likely resulted in the inaccurate fuel gauge indication. Examination of the left fuel tank cap and seal revealed no evidence of any preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation because of the incorrectly installed fuel cap. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the flight using fuel from the left fuel tank after she observed fuel streaming from the left fuel tank cap.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR12LA309
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2022 13:07 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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