Frenchville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caribou, Maine 04736
Thursday, May 23, 1991 17:24 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 6500 FEET, WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, BUT DID NOT FLARE THE AIRPLANE PROPERLY AND HIT THE GROUND VERY HARD. THE ENGINE HAD CAUSED SOME PROBLEMS FOR THE PILOT BEFORE TAKEOFF, BUT HE DETERMINED IT WAS OPERATING SATISFACTORILY, AFTER SEVERAL FULL POWER RUN UPS. THE FAA FOUND THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP WAS MALFUNCTIONING, RESULTING IN FUEL SYSTEM CAVITATION AND EVENTUAL FUEL STARVATION. IT WAS DETERMINED BY THE FAA AND THE MANUFACTURER REPRESENTATIVES THAT THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMP MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO RESTORE FUEL PRESSURE FAST ENOUGH FOR THE PILOT TO RESTART THE ENGINE WHILE EXECUTING THE FORCED LANDING. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS, THE PILOT CONCENTRATED ON THE EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MODEL OF 3.5 HOURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DECISION BY THE PILOT TO TAKEOFF WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCIES; THE PILOT'S HARD LANDING DURING THE FORCED LANDING; AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/23/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1724
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CARIBOU
Event State MAINE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 04736
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRENCHVILLE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FVE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 17000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 101
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43112
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6968R
NTSB Number NYC91LA139
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 BE-23-B24R
Aircraft Series Identifier BE-23-B24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-321
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Unknown
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 ANDHAM AEROCORP INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 30 RICHARDS ST
Aircraft Owner City S. PORTLAND
Aircraft Owner State ME
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 04106
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYLINE AVIATION CORP.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1001 WEST BROOK ST.
Operator City PORTLAND
Operator State ME
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 04102
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 FVE
Departure City FRENCHVILLE
Departure State ME
Departure Country
Departure Time 1705
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 Climb
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 --