Beechcraft 58 N99CK

Summary

On 22 October 1991 at about 02:10 local time, a Beechcraft 58 registered N99CK, operated by Green Hills Aviation Co., Inc., was involved in an accident near Pelham, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 October 1991 at 02:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Pelham, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

33.4908, -86.8096

Aircraft

Beechcraft 58

Registration

N99CK

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Green Hills Aviation Co., Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Panama City → Birmingham

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL92FA013

1 person was seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND HER INATTENTIVENESS TO FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING THE FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE NON-PERFORMANCE OF ENGINE OUT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND THE DARK, NIGHT CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FUELED TO CAPACITY THEN FLOWN ON MULTIPLE FLIGHTS. AT THE LAST STOP 18 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO EACH WING TANK, WHICH GAVE 60 GALLONS TOTAL, THE PILOT SAID. AS THE PILOT PREPARED TO LEAVE, THE LEFT FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS DISCOVERED TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT TOLD A MECHANIC THAT SHE TRIED TO START THE LEFT ENGINE BY PLACING THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT ENGINE & THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR TO CROSSFEED. SINCE THE RIGHT BOOST PUMP IS DOWNSTREAM, BETWEEN THE RIGHT ENGINE & THE FUEL SELECTOR, IT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE FUEL TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE LEFT BOOST PUMP WAS REPLACED & THE PILOT DEPARTED. APPROACHING THE DESTINATION THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER & CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE THROTTLE QUADRANT WAS NOT SET FOR AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT WING TANK. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION AND THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE CROSSFEED POSITION, SO THAT BOTH ENGINES WOULD HAVE BEEN FED FROM THE LEFT WING TANK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.