Temco D-16A N131N

Summary

On 8 April 2024 at about 19:10 local time, a Temco D-16A registered N131N was involved in an accident near Clarksville, Arkansas, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 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

8 April 2024 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Clarksville, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Clarksville (H35)

Coordinates

35.4706, -93.4271

Aircraft

Temco D-16A

Registration

N131N

Category

Airplane

Year built

1947

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Springdale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA151

4 people were seriously injured.

The pilot’s mismanagement of the fuel supply, which resulted in a loss of engine power on the left engine due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff in the twin-engine airplane the left engine stopped producing power. The airplane rolled left and impacted trees which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and both wings. The airplane was equipped with five fuel tanks: left and right nacelle tanks, left and right tip tanks, and one main fuel tank. The fuel tanks were drained after the accident and the left nacelle was empty. The right nacelle had negligible fuel. The main fuel tank contained 27 gallons, and the left tip tank contained 13 gallons. The right tip tank was compromised. The right fuel selector valve was found set to the right nacelle tank, and the left fuel selector valve was set to the left nacelle tank. The pilot stated that he thought the fuel selector valves were set to the main tank; however, he also stated that it was possible that he had the nacelle fuel tanks selected. The main tank position is 180 degrees from the nacelle tank position, and the two positions were easy to confuse. Given the as-found state of the selector, he likely had the left and right nacelle fuel tanks selected. A small leak was discovered on the upper portion of the left nacelle fuel tank’s bladder, but it was in a location that would not have accounted for the tank being found totally empty. When fuel was added to the airplane, the left engine was started and operated normally. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the left engine’s loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.