Rockwell 500-S N8536

Summary

On 8 April 2002 at about 13:50 local time, a Rockwell 500-S registered N8536, operated by Air Carriers, Inc., was involved in an incident near Jackson, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 April 2002 at 13:50

Classification

Incident

Location

Jackson, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Jackson Municipal Airport (4R3)

Coordinates

32.2896, -90.1797

Aircraft

Rockwell 500-S

Registration

N8536

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Air Carriers, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bessemer → Mobile

Aircraft damage

Not recorded

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02IA079

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power in both engines, and subsequent forced landing in a field.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated the airplane was topped off with fuel. About an hour into the flight, power was lost in both engines. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field and exited the airplane. The pilot stated she saw the fuel cap was off and hanging by its chain. Examination of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the fuel system, and there was no evidence of fuel splatter on the wing, fuselage, or tail surfaces. The wing skin around the fuel fill port and chain attachment displayed no scratches nor dents. The fuel cap chain assembly was of the type designed to break free at 20 knots airspeed in the event a fuel cap is left unsecured, and the airplane was equipped with a non-siphoning fuel fill port. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction, and no evidence of defect was observed with the fuel cap chain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.