Beechcraft A24R N8074R

Summary

On 22 November 1989 at about 23:50 local time, a Beechcraft A24R registered N8074R, operated by Muhs, David P., was involved in an accident near Richmond, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 November 1989 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Richmond, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

45.4492, -94.5105

Aircraft

Beechcraft A24R

Registration

N8074R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Muhs, David P.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spearfish → St Cloud

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MKC90LA033

1 person had minor injuries.

IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR BY THE PILOT AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AFTER A FUEL TANK HAD EMPTIED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES, PILOT'S OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRCRAFT, DARK NIGHT, TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHEN THE X-COUNTRY BEGAN, THE VACUUM SYS & COMM RADIOS WERE INOP, BUT OTHERWISE, THE INITIAL LEG OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE PLT CHECKED THAT THE ACFT LGTS WERE OPERG FOR THE RTRN FLT, BUT HE NOTED THE FUEL GAUGES INDCD EMPTY (ALTHOUGH THE ACFT HAD BEEN FULLY SVCD WITH FUEL). AT ABT SUNSET ON THE RTRN FLT, THE ELECTRICAL SYS BCM INOP & THE NORMAL LNDG GEAR EXTN SYS & FLAPS WOULD NOT OPERATE. ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, AS THE ACFT WAS NEARING ITS DESTN, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR, USING HIS FLASHLIGHT TO MONITOR THE AIRSPEED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A CRASH LNDG WAS MADE AT THE TOP OF A RIVER BANK AT NIGHT. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO AN EMPTY TANK & THE OTHER TANK STILL CONTAINED USABLE FUEL. THE PLT HAD ACCUMULATED ABT 7 HRS OF FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT, ALL ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.