DELTA JUNCTION, AK, USA
N7041M
BEECH 55-95B55B
DURING PREFLIGHT REFUELING, THE FUEL SYSTEM STOPPED PUMPING FUEL, SO THE PILOT DID NOT GET AS MUCH FUEL AS HE HAD INTENDED BEFORE BEGINNING THE LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY OPERATED THE ENGINES FROM THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS, WHILE IN A DESCENT, UNTIL THEY WERE EMPTY, AT WHICH TIME BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINES, AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A WOODED AREA. THE PILOT SAID THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR HAD IMPLIED THAT RUNNING THE AUXILIARY TANKS DRY WAS A SAFE PROCEDURE. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE HAD NOT TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS WHILE TRYING TO RESTART THE ENGINES, AS SPECIFIED IN AN ADDENDUM TO THE AFM. HE SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THAT ADDENDUM UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT A TOTAL OF APPROXIMATELY 28 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINED IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS.
FUEL STARVATION OF BOTH ENGINES AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY NOT GETTING MORE FUEL OR CANCELLING THE FLIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT NOT FOLLOWING PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES (THE AIRPLANE FLIGHT MANUAL) WHEN HE OPERATED THE ENGINES FROM THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS WHILE IN A DESCENT, AND THEN FAILED TO USE THE FUEL BOOST PUMPS WHEN ATTEMPTING TO RESTART THE ENGINES.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
