Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pontiac, Michigan 48054
Thursday, August 6, 1992 14:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN HE STATED HE GOT A FUEL CROSSFEED 'WARNING' LIGHT. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO TRY TO TROUBLE SHOOT THE FUEL SYSTEM BY CYCLING THE RIGHT BOOST PUMP SWITCH, AND 'RESET AND ARM' THE AUTO CROSSFEED. HE STATED THE CROSSFEED LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT, AND HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS ON THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN HE FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENGINE, THE LEFT ENGINE ALSO EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT CLEANED UP THE AIRPLANE AND DITCHED IN THE LAKE SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THE LEFT NACELLE TANK WAS COLLAPSED. THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY, AND THE RIGHT NACELLE TANK CONTAINED 19 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE FUEL SUPPLY, TRANSFER, AND CROSSFEED SYSTEMS WERE FUNCTIONALLY CHECKED, AND WERE OPERABLE. ALL COCKPIT FUEL SYSTEM LIGHTS INDICATED NORMAL SYSTEM OPERATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S NOT UNDERSTANDING THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT DISCONTINUANCE OF FUEL TO BOTH ENGINES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1410
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PONTIAC
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48054
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1412 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID PTK
Elevation of weather observation facility 980
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2872
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 10 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47716
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90RG
NTSB Number CHI92LA237
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model C90
Aircraft Series Identifier C90
Aircraft Serial Number LJ-546
Certified Max Gross Weight 9650
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 8487
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JABIL CIRCUIT COMPANY, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 32275 MALLY R.
Aircraft Owner City MADISON HEIGHTS
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48071
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JABIL CIRCUIT COMPANY, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 32275 MALLY R.
Operator City MADISON HEIGHTS
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 48071
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code C19
Departure City HOLLAND
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1335
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --