PIQUA, OH, USA
N222SV
CESSNA 414A
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT IN THIS MODEL AIRPLANE. ON FINAL APPROACH, AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, BOTH ENGINES QUIT. HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A FIELD SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE PILOT STATED, 'I DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL TANKS VISUALLY.' HE ALSO SAID, 'I DID NOT USE THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS.' THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3/4 OF A GALLON AND THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK HAD 3 1/4 GALLONS. THE INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK GAGE READ APPROXIMATELY 25 GALLONS HIGH, AND THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK GAGE READ APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS HIGH. THE CESSNA FLIGHT HANDBOOK, BEFORE LANDING CHECKLIST STATES IN PART: ITEM #4, AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS ON. THE AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER SAYS WITHOUT USING THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMPS, ANY INTERRUPTION OF THE FUEL SUPPLY CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO EXPERIENCE FUEL EXHAUSTION.
THE PILOT'S INCOMPLETE PREFLIGHT OF THE FUEL QUANTITY AND THE INACCURATE FUEL GAGES, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT FUEL MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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