Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pelham, Alabama 35205
Monday, October 21, 1991 21:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FUELED TO CAPACITY THEN FLOWN ON MULTIPLE FLIGHTS. AT THE LAST STOP 18 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO EACH WING TANK, WHICH GAVE 60 GALLONS TOTAL, THE PILOT SAID. AS THE PILOT PREPARED TO LEAVE, THE LEFT FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS DISCOVERED TO BE INOPERATIVE. THE PILOT TOLD A MECHANIC THAT SHE TRIED TO START THE LEFT ENGINE BY PLACING THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR ON THE LEFT ENGINE & THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR TO CROSSFEED. SINCE THE RIGHT BOOST PUMP IS DOWNSTREAM, BETWEEN THE RIGHT ENGINE & THE FUEL SELECTOR, IT WOULD NOT PRESSURIZE FUEL TO THE LEFT ENGINE. THE LEFT BOOST PUMP WAS REPLACED & THE PILOT DEPARTED. APPROACHING THE DESTINATION THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER & CRASHED IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE THROTTLE QUADRANT WAS NOT SET FOR AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT WING TANK. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE LEFT TANK POSITION AND THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE CROSSFEED POSITION, SO THAT BOTH ENGINES WOULD HAVE BEEN FED FROM THE LEFT WING TANK.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CORRECT THE POSITION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND HER INATTENTIVENESS TO FUEL CONSUMPTION DURING THE FLIGHT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION. FACTORS WERE THE NON-PERFORMANCE OF ENGINE OUT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND THE DARK, NIGHT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/21/1991
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2110
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PELHAM
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 35205
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 10
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 5
Weather Observation Facility ID BHM
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2102
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45787
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:47AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N99CK
NTSB Number ATL92FA013
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 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-1125
Certified Max Gross Weight 5600
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 2 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 3646
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREEN HILLS AVIATION CO., INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1825 MORRIS AVE.
Aircraft Owner City BIRMINGHAM
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35203
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GREEN HILLS AVIATION CO., INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1825 MORRIS AVE.
Operator City BIRMINGHAM
Operator State AL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 35203
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 PFN
Departure City PANAMA CITY
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 2006
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BHM
Destination City BIRMINGHAM
Destination State AL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --