Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Delta, Utah 84624
Monday, September 7, 1987 13:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT STATED AFTER THE ACC THAT HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE FUEL SYSTEM ON THE CESSNA 310. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS ARE ON THE WING TIPS AND THE AUX TANKS ARE IN THE WINGS. THE PLT THOUGHT THE OPPOSITE. THE PLT DEPARTED AND WAS BURNING FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANKS WHEN THE ENGS QUIT AT 13,000 FT. HE SWITCHED TO THE AUX TANKS AND DID NOT GET A RESTART AFTER 10 SECS. THE PLT SWITCHED BACK TO THE MAIN TANKS AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGS. AN EMERG LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD. EXAM OF ACFT REVEALED THE MAIN TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THE AUX TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. ACCORDING TO ENGINEERS AT THE CESSNA ACFT CO, THE AVG TIME NEEDED FOR FUEL TO FLOW TO THE ENG AFT THE SELECTOR VALVE HAS BEEN MOVED FM ONE FUEL TANK POSITION TO ANOTHER IS APPROX 15 SECONDS. THE PLT WAS AWARE THAT NONE OF THE FUEL GAGES WERE WORKING ON THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1987
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DELTA
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84624
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 6788
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 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1898
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35266
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3037L
NTSB Number DEN87FA231
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 310J
Aircraft Series Identifier 310J
Aircraft Serial Number 31050037
Certified Max Gross Weight 5100
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 Apr 4 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 3074
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVE HOWARD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3734 ECKER HILL DR.
Aircraft Owner City PARK CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84060
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 PVO
Departure City PROVO
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SBA
Destination City SANTA BARBARA
Destination State CA
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 --