Beechcraft 95-B55 N98HA

Summary

On 11 August 2008 at about 05:40 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 registered N98HA, operated by Harold J. Gaines, was involved in an accident near Sitka, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 August 2008 at 05:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Sitka, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Sitka Airport (SIT)

Coordinates

57.6561, -135.3306

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55

Registration

N98HA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Harold J. Gaines

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gustavus → Sitka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

ANC08FA104

2 people died.

A loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion resulting from the pilot's inadequate fuel planning and navigation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot departed on an instrument-flight-rules (IFR), cross-country flight after obtaining fuel. The next planned fuel stop was about 741.5 nautical miles away. IFR weather conditions prevailed along the flight, but visual conditions existed at the next airport, where the pilot landed in order to obtain fuel. The pilot subsequently departed and contacted an Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) specialist to say that he was unable to refuel at that airport. He then requested a clearance to another airport, about 83.4 nautical miles away, and stated: “I hope we have enough fuel.” The ARTCC specialist offered a closer airport that was about 36 miles east. The pilot requested a clearance for the Localizer-Type Directional Aid (LDA) approach to the closer airport. During the initial stages of the approach, the pilot appeared to be unsure about the LDA approach procedures, and was unable to join the localizer for the approach. The ARTCC specialist asked the pilot if he wanted to try another approach, and the pilot said that he wanted to continue on to the airport that was 83.4 miles away instead. About 1 hour after the airplane had departed in search of additional fuel, and about 2 minutes before the accident, the ARTCC specialist contacted the pilot to request an estimate of his remaining fuel. The pilot’s last garbled radio transmission was: "Looks like we're having trouble with our left engine." A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter located the airplane's wreckage in an area of mountainous, tree-covered terrain along the anticipated flight route. A responding state trooper reported that the airplane's fuel tanks were empty. Fuel consumption calculations disclosed that the estimated fuel remaining when the airplane arrived at the destination airport (where fuel was not available) was equivalent to about 1 hour and 11 minutes flight time at a cruise power setting. No mechanical problems with the airplane were discovered during postaccident inspections by the NTSB.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.