Portland International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Portland, Maine 64105
Thursday, July 9, 1992 9:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE WHEN HE NOTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER AND THAT THE FUEL GAGE WAS DE-ENERGIZED. HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT, BUT DURING AN ILS RUNWAY 29 APPROACH AT THE DESTINATION, A TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER OCCURRED. THE PILOT DECIDED TO DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS INTO VMC, WHICH HE ENCOUNTERED AT ABOUT 400 FEET MSL OVER CASCO BAY. HE STATED THAT HE WAS READING A CHART TO LOCATE THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN THE BAY, ESCAPED FROM THE AIRPLANE, AND WAS RESCUED BY COAST GUARD, BUT THE PASSENGER DID NOT ESCAPE FROM THE AIRPLANE. DURING AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, ABOUT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE LEFT TANK AND ABOUT ONE HALF GALLON WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER WAS NOT VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN UNDETERMINED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND LOSS OF FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/9/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 950
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PORTLAND
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 64105
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PWM
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 110
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1037 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID PWM
Elevation of weather observation facility 99999
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 6015
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 9 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52891
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number CGTCM
NTSB Number BFO92FA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model U206F
Aircraft Series Identifier U206F
Aircraft Serial Number U206-01825
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Foreign Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DANIEL GILBERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12 EME AVENUE EST
Aircraft Owner City QUEBEC, CANADA
Aircraft Owner State OF
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DANIEL GILBERT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 12 EME AVENUE EST
Operator City QUEBEC, CANADA
Operator State OF
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SW3
Departure City ST GEORGES,CD
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PWM
Destination City PORTLAND
Destination State ME
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 29
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --