MONONGAHELA, PA, USA
N690X
SWEARINGEN SA-26AT
THE FLIGHT WAS FROM MONONGAHELA TO PITTSBURGH TO TETERBORO,NJ, THEN RETURN TO PITTSBURGH AND BACK TO MONONGAHELA. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED MONONGAHELA WITH 100 GALS OF FUEL; 160 GALS WERE ADDED AT PITTSBURGH; AND 80 GALS WERE ADDED AT TETERBORO. THE PILOT WANTED TO ADD MORE FUEL AT TETERBORO BUT THE OWNER DID NOT DUE TO THE HIGHER COST OF FUEL AND THE FUEL GAGE INDICATIONS. DURING THE RETURN TRIP NO FUEL WAS ADDED AT PITTSBURGH BECAUSE THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE A CREDIT CARD PROVIDED BY THE OWNER OR MONEY TO BUY FUEL. THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A TWO-ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE APPROACHING THE MONONGAHELA AIRPORT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT FUEL GAGES SHOWED A TOTAL OF 125 GALS IN THE LEFT TANK AND 90 GALS IN THE RIGHT TANK; THE READING REMAINED THE SAME WITH OR WITHOUT POWER.
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE MONITORING OF THE FUEL BURN WHICH RESULTED IN TOTAL FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LIMITED EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE, AN ERRONEOUS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE DUE TO PRESSURE FROM THE OWNER TO NOT ADD FUEL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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