Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Caribbean Sea
Saturday, July 27, 1991 16:00 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT DEPARTED USING FUEL FROM THE MAIN FUEL TANKS TO SUPPLY THE ENG AND CLIMBED TO ALT. THE PLT THEN UTILIZED THE FUEL FROM THE ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN AUX FUEL SYS BUT STATED THAT THE ENG QUIT 1 HR 15 MINUTES LATER. HE DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYS AND FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANKS WAS THEN USED TO SUPPLY THE ENG. THE ENG WAS RESTARTED. THE FLT DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO SUPPLY FUEL TO THE ENG FROM THE AUX FUEL TANK BY TURNING ON THE SHUTOFF VALVE AND BOTH FUEL PUMPS BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE ENG EVENTUALLY QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS. HE DITCHED THE ACFT NEAR AN ISLAND, SWAM TO IT, AND WAS RESCUED 26 HRS LATER. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED. HE FURTHER STATED THAT HE BELIEVES THAT THE FUEL PUMPS OVERLOADED THE ELECTRICAL SYS BUT IN RETROSPECT BELIEVES THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. THE AUX FUEL SYS INCORPORATES TWO ELECTRIC PUMPS BUT ONLY ONE IS TO BE USED FOR NORMAL OPERATION. THE SECOND PUMP IS TO BE USED ONLY FOR A FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE FIRST PUMP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLACEMENT OF THE BOOST PUMP SELECTOR BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THIS RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City CARIBBEAN SEA
Event State CARIBBEAN SEA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 7
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 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 3000
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1513
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45340
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6088K
NTSB Number MIA91LA192
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15077519
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
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 Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AERO TAXI, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5006
Aircraft Owner City FORT LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33309
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO TAXI, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 5006
Operator City FORT LAUDERDALE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33309
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MWCR
Departure City GRAND CAYMAN
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MPTO
Destination City PANAMA CITY
Destination State OF
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --