ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 32418
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| Date: | Friday 18 March 1994 |
| Time: | 02:50 LT |
| Type: |  Swearingen SA.26AT Merlin IIB |
| Owner/operator: | Bobby R. Venable |
| Registration: | N20PT |
| MSN: | T26-128 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1969 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 5869 hours |
| Engine model: | GARRETT TPE-331-1-151 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Winchester, VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Washington, DC (KIAD) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
WHILE ON APP AT NIGHT, IN VMC, THE LEFT ENG LOST PWR DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE PROP WAS NOT FEATHERED, THE L/G WAS LEFT DOWN, AND THE A/C DRIFTED LEFT OF CRS, STRUCK TREES, AND THEN THE GND. ONE GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RT WING, ENG, & FUEL LINE. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LT WING, ENG & FUEL LINE. THE CO-PILOT SAID THE FUEL QTY SYS WAS ERRATIC WITH THE LT SIDE MORE ERRATIC, AND THE RT SIDE READING ABOUT 10 GAL MORE THAN THE LT SIDE. TESTING FOUND THE RT SIDE INDICATED ABOUT 45 GAL MORE THAN WAS PRESENT WHILE THE LT SIDE WAS INOP. THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC RECALIBRAION OF THE FUEL QTY SYSTEM. THE OWNER/PILOT HAD OPERATED THE A/C ON 32 FLTS, OVER 23 HRS, AND REFUELED 23 TIMES USING PARTIAL FILLS, SINCE HE HAD FULL TANKS. THE PILOT WAS CHECKED OUT 17 MONTHS PRIOR AND THE INSTR SAID THE PILOT WAS FINE, HOWEVER, HE WAS CAUTIONED HIM TO ENROLL IN RECURRENT TRAINING. THERE WAS NO RECORD HE DID. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED AN FAA CHECKRIDE 19 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHICH HE PASSED.
Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, FOLLOWED BY IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL INFLIGHT AND UNCONTROLLED CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF A REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC CALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM FROM THE MANUFACTURER, AND THE ERRATIC AND INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB NYC94FA064
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 19-Oct-2010 11:25 | TB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Other fatalities, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 10-Apr-2024 08:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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