ST. PETERSBURG, FL, USA
N95C
DOUGLAS DC-3C
AFTER A LOCAL MAINTENANCE FLIGHT THE CREW RETURNED TO ST. PETERSBURG TO PRACTICE FULL STOP LANDINGS. SHORTLY AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE DURING THE 2ND TAKEOFF, THE RIGHT ENG EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO ABOUT 50 FT AGL, THEN VEER RIGHT & CRASH EAST OF THE RWY. OTHER THAN A MALFUNCTIONING RIGHT FUEL TANK SELECTOR WHICH ALLOWED FUEL TO BYPASS TO OTHER FUEL TANKS, THERE WAS NO PRE-IMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. BOTH RIGHT TANKS WERE EMPTY & THE LEFT TANKS CONTAINED ABOUT 175 GALS OF FUEL. HOWEVER, SUBSEQUENT TESTS SHOWED THAT FLUID IN THE RIGHT TANK WOULD BYPASS THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR & LEAK INTO THE LEFT TANK WHEN THE ACFT SAT LEFT WING LOW FOR ABOUT 12 HRS. THE ACFT WAS NOT AIRWORTHY IN THAT ALL THE REQUIREMENTS OF AN APPROVED 91.217 INSPECTION PROGRAM WERE NOT COMPLIED WITH. THE PIC HAD 5 HRS AS PIC OF DC-3 DURING THE LAST 5 MONTHS WITH 1 HR & 2 TAKEOFF & LANDINGS THE LAST 90 DAYS. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT IN A DC-3 FOR THE CO-PILOT WITH NO RECORD OF ANY TRAINING IN THE DC-3.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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