Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richmond, Minnesota 56368
Wednesday, November 22, 1989 17:50 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE X-COUNTRY BEGAN, THE VACUUM SYS & COMM RADIOS WERE INOP, BUT OTHERWISE, THE INITIAL LEG OF THE FLT WAS NORMAL. THE PLT CHECKED THAT THE ACFT LGTS WERE OPERG FOR THE RTRN FLT, BUT HE NOTED THE FUEL GAUGES INDCD EMPTY (ALTHOUGH THE ACFT HAD BEEN FULLY SVCD WITH FUEL). AT ABT SUNSET ON THE RTRN FLT, THE ELECTRICAL SYS BCM INOP & THE NORMAL LNDG GEAR EXTN SYS & FLAPS WOULD NOT OPERATE. ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, AS THE ACFT WAS NEARING ITS DESTN, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT MANUALLY EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR, USING HIS FLASHLIGHT TO MONITOR THE AIRSPEED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNABLE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A CRASH LNDG WAS MADE AT THE TOP OF A RIVER BANK AT NIGHT. DRG AN INVESTIGATION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO AN EMPTY TANK & THE OTHER TANK STILL CONTAINED USABLE FUEL. THE PLT HAD ACCUMULATED ABT 7 HRS OF FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT, ALL ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR BY THE PILOT AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AFTER A FUEL TANK HAD EMPTIED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES, PILOT'S OPERATION WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE AIRCRAFT, DARK NIGHT, TOTAL LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER, AND LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1750
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City RICHMOND
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56368
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1750 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID STC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1024
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 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) 1429
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39728
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8074R
NTSB Number MKC90LA033
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 A24R
Aircraft Series Identifier A24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-43
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 22 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MUHS, DAVID P
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16051 TONKAWOOD CT
Aircraft Owner City MINNETONKA
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55343
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MUHS, DAVID P.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 16051 TONKAWOOD CT.
Operator City MINNETONKA
Operator State MN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 55343
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SPF
Departure City SPEARFISH
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code STC
Destination City ST CLOUD
Destination State MN
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --