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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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NTSB Report

October 8, 1992 · Beech 95-B55B · N153Q

Chatham, LA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 8, 1992
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Chatham, LA
Aircraft
Beech 95-B55B
Tail Number
N153Q
Operator
Larocca Victor T
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW93FA008

The private pilot had previously made only one night cross-country flight as the only rated pilot in the airplane. Another pilot who usually served as a crew member reported that during the cruise portion of the second leg of his cross country flight, the pilot would normally run the engines on the auxiliary tanks until they were empty and then switch to the main fuel tanks and air start the engines. This procedure requires that the fuel boost pumps be in the 'on' position. The fuel boost pumps were in the 'off' position at the accident site. The right main fuel tank had ruptured and only four gallons of fuel remained. Twenty seven gallons of fuel remained in the left main tank. Each of the auxiliary tanks contained less than one pint of fuel. Witnesses three miles from the accident site reported a dark night. Engine test runs were performed on both engines throughout all power ranges and there were no anomalies found that would have contributed to the accident. A review of the air traffic control data revealed that the pilot declared an emergency and reported the airplane out of control in a flat spin. The pilot did not refuel prior to departing on the second leg of his night cross country flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE INADVERTENT STALL AND SPIN. FACTORS WERE THE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, THE DARK NIGHT, AND HIS FAILURE TO USE THE BOOST PUMP FOR ENGINE RESTART.

Full Narrative

THE PRIVATE PILOT HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE ONLY ONE NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AS THE ONLY RATED PILOT IN THE AIRPLANE. ANOTHER PILOT WHO USUALLY SERVED AS A CREW MEMBER REPORTED THAT DURING THE CRUISE PORTION OF THE SECOND LEG OF HIS CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT WOULD NORMALLY RUN THE ENGINES ON THE AUXILIARY TANKS UNTIL THEY WERE EMPTY AND THEN SWITCH TO THE MAIN FUEL TANKS AND AIR START THE ENGINES. THIS PROCEDURE REQUIRES THAT THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS BE IN THE 'ON' POSITION. THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS WERE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD RUPTURED AND ONLY FOUR GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED. TWENTY SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK. EACH OF THE AUXILIARY TANKS CONTAINED LESS THAN ONE PINT OF FUEL. WITNESSES THREE MILES FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED A DARK NIGHT. ENGINE TEST RUNS WERE PERFORMED ON BOTH ENGINES THROUGHOUT ALL POWER RANGES AND THERE WERE NO ANOMALIES FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. A REVIEW OF THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL DATA REVEALED THAT THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND REPORTED THE AIRPLANE OUT OF CONTROL IN A FLAT SPIN. THE PILOT DID NOT REFUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTING ON THE SECOND LEG OF HIS NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time21:33 CDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftBeech 95-B55B
Tail NumberN153Q
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorLarocca Victor T
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · IO-520-E2B · Reciprocating · 300
Seats5

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 33 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind150° @ 7 kt
Visibility8 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 8000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point64 F / 55
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time01:49
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data