Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aguila, Arizona 85320
Saturday, April 17, 1993 7:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ENGINE QUIT DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING ATTEMPT BEYOND THE AIRPORT BOUNDARY. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT AND INTERVIEWED THE PILOTS AND WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOTS HAD REPORTEDLY SWITCHED FUEL TANKS SHORTLY BEFORE THE ENGINE QUIT. THE INSPECTOR STATED THAT THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT THREE QUARTERS CAPACITY OF FUEL WHILE THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP WAS FOUND TO FUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY DUE TO A FAULTY COCKPIT SWITCH. ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN ANNUAL INSPECTION IN 1984 AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY PARKED AND NOT FLOWN UNTIL AFTER THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL, WHICH WAS SIGNED OFF IN THE LOGBOOKS ON MARCH 1, 1993.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE FUEL STARVATION WAS CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SELECT A TANK CONTAINING FUEL AND THE INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP DUE TO A FAULTY COCKPIT SWITCH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 720
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City AGUILA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85320
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 622
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 22 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50446
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9203S
NTSB Number LAX93LA180
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model B24R
Aircraft Series Identifier B24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC 373
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BEAUFORD A. ROBBINS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7708 BRENTWOOD DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BEAUFORD A. ROBBINS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 384
Operator City AGUILA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85320
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7E0
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 720
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 7E0
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --