Beechcraft 95-B55B N7479N

Summary

On 5 December 1992 at about 01:01 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55B registered N7479N, operated by Gene Stewart, Inc., was involved in an accident near Calera, Alabama, United States. 6 people were on board and 6 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 December 1992 at 01:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Calera, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

33.1008, -86.7501

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55B

Registration

N7479N

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Gene Stewart, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gainesville → Birmingham

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL93FA031

6 people died.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT WITH THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR HANDLES IMPROPERLY POSITIONED, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND ENGINE STOPPAGE. FACTORS WERE THE CLOUDY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND THE STEEP, HILLY TERRAIN CONDITIONS (A QUARRY) AT THE CRASH SITE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND 5 PASSENGERS WERE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. NIGHT, IMC PREVAILED. SHORTLY AFTER THE FLIGHT BEGAN A DESCENT FOR LANDING, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD AN 'ENGINE OUT'. HE THEN FOLLOWED UP BY SAYING THAT BOTH ENGINES WERE 'CUTTING OUT'. WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS TO A CLOSER AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF A DEEP ROCK QUARRY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT FORCES AND FIRE. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVES WAS IN THE 'AUX' TANK POSITION. THE AIRCRAFT CHECKLIST STATES THAT THE AUXILIARY TANKS ARE TO BE USED IN LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY. A TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION OF THE ENGINES AND COMPONENTS DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.