Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary DEN90LA073

CALHAN, CO, USA

Aircraft #1

N6025S

BEECH B-60

Analysis

BOTH ENGINES QUIT SIMULTANEOUSLY AT 15,000 FEET MSL, DURING NORMAL IFR CRUISE FLIGHT. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT SAID HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS VECTORED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, CALHAN, COLORADO. HE RESTARTED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND CIRCLED TO TURN ON THE RADIO CONTROLLED RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE PILOT FAILED TO SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AND WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE UNMANNED AIRPORT. HE SELECTED A ROADWAY AND LANDED. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A FENCE, THEN THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DITCH AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE RIGHT WING, FUSELAGE, NOSE AND LANDING GEAR WERE DAMAGED AND BENT. THE PILOT SAID THE FLIGHT LEFT HOUSTON WITH FULL FUEL TANKS AND HIS COMPUTATIONS INDICATED THERE WAS ADEQUATE FUEL FOR THE FLIGHT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT TANK CONTAINED SEVEN GALLONS OF FUEL.

Probable Cause and Findings

FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS DUE TO IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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