Beechcraft 55-95B55B N7041M
29 July 1992 · Delta Junction, Alaska, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 29 July 1992 at about 04:13 local time, a Beechcraft 55-95B55B registered N7041M, operated by Eielson AFB Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Delta Junction, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:13
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Delta Junction, Alaska, United States
- Coordinates
- 63.6992, -144.8899
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft 55-95B55B
- Registration
- N7041M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Eielson AFB Aero Club
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Eielson Afb → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ANC92LA114
People
2 people had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Probable cause
FUEL STARVATION OF BOTH ENGINES AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY NOT GETTING MORE FUEL OR CANCELLING THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES (THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL) WHEN HE OPERATED THE ENGINES FROM THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WHILE IN A DESCENT, AND THEN FAILED TO USE THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENGINES.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING PREFLIGHT REFUELING, THE FUEL SYSTEM STOPPED PUMPING FUEL, SO THE PILOT DID NOT GET AS MUCH FUEL AS HE HAD INTENDED BEFORE BEGINNING THE LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY OPERATED THE ENGINES FROM THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS, WHILE IN A DESCENT, UNTIL THEY WERE EMPTY, AT WHICH TIME BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR HAD IMPLIED THAT RUNNING THE AUXILIARY TANKS DRY WAS A SAFE PROCEDURE. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD NOT TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS WHILE TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINES, AS SPECIFIED IN AN ADDENDUM TO THE AFM. HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT ADDENDUM UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 28 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft 55 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1992 | Beechcraft 55 | Leicester, Massachusetts, United States | Robert L. Powell | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 Mar 1992 | Beechcraft 55 | Longmont, Colorado, United States | Klodnicki, David T. | No injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 1992 | Beechcraft 55 | Wheeling, Illinois, United States | Neighbor, Ernest H | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 May 1991 | Beechcraft 55 | Perry, Georgia, United States | Potter, Douglas A. | No injuries | - |
| 21 Mar 1991 | Beechcraft 55 | Burbank, California, United States | Pacific Air Charter | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Mar 1991 | Beechcraft 55 | Forest Lake, Minnesota, United States | NOL TEC Systems, Inc. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Feb 1992 | Piper PA-18A-150 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | John Clark | Minor injuries | - |
| 12 Feb 1992 | Richard C Ballow KITFOX 1 | Valdez, Alaska, United States | Jones, William Marshall | No injuries | - |
| 17 Feb 1992 | Aeronca 7AC | Sitka, Alaska, United States | Diment, Archie G. | No injuries | - |
| 9 Oct 1992 | Champion 7EC | Chugiak, Alaska, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 14 Feb 1992 | Cessna 180 | Shishmaref, Alaska, United States | Sheldon, Robert J. | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Feb 1992 | Cessna 185F | Pelican, Alaska, United States | Bellair, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |