Bombardier CL=601-3A N88HA

Summary

On 20 March 1994 at about 06:36 local time, a Bombardier CL=601-3A registered N88HA, operated by Crystal Air and Aviation, was involved in an accident near Bassett, Nebraska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 March 1994 at 06:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Bassett, Nebraska, United States

Nearest airport

Rock County Airport (RBE)

Coordinates

42.5798, -99.5291

Aircraft

Bombardier CL=601-3A

Registration

N88HA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Crystal Air and Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Burlington → Long Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI94FA116

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot in command's inadequate planning/decision making and inadequate preflight inspection after receiving a load of contaminated fuel. Related factors are the contaminated fuel, improper refueling by FBO personnel, and the dark night light conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOTS FLEW TO LAWRENCE, MA TO REFUEL FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT BACK TO THE WEST COAST. THEY STATED THE FUEL TRUCK MALFUNCTIONED AND STOPPED AFTER IT HAD PUMPED ABOUT 221 GALS INTO THE AIRPLANE. THEY WERE WARNED ABOUT POSSIBLE FUEL CONTAMINATION, BUT THEY REPORTED SUMP SAMPLES DID NOT REVEAL ABNORMAL AMOUNTS OF WATER. THE PILOTS OBSERVED ERRONEOUS FUEL TOTALIZER INDICATIONS DURING THE LOW ALT FLIGHT TO BURLINGTON, VT, WHERE THEY TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. THE FLIGHT CREW STATED WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT FL410, THE LEFT ENG LOW FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SOMETIME LATER, THE LEFT ENG LOST POWER, FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENG. NUMEROUS RESTART ATTEMPTS ON BOTH ENGINES AND THE APU WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PILOTS MANEUVERED TOWARDS THE NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT WERE UNABLE TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE RUNWAY IN TIME TO LAND ON IT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD, STRIKING AN IRRIGATION STRUCTURE & TREES. WATER-CONTAMINATED FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS, FUEL FILTERS, AND THROUGHOUT THE FUEL SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.