Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Goodland, Florida 34140
Thursday, June 26, 2008 17:56 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane experienced a total loss of engine power from both engines and was ditched in the Gulf of Mexico. According to pilot, after takeoff, the flight climbed briefly to 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl), descended to and remained at 2,500 feet msl, and then proceeded to the destination airport. When the flight was near the destination airport, the pilot reduced both throttles to 21 inches manifold pressure, and began descending at less than 500 feet-per-minute. Approximately 15 miles from the destination, while flying at 1,500 feet msl, the right engine "coughed a couple times" with corresponding right yaw. The pilot noted the right fuel flow was "down" and described a split between the left and right fuel flow readings. He reported that the left and right fuel quantity gauges indicated 70 and 100 pounds respectively, at a point just before the ditching. He turned the right auxiliary fuel pump to the low position, and moved the right fuel selector to the "left main" position in an effort to restore engine power; however, the right engine lost engine power, followed by the left engine. Following recovery of the airplane, a total of 14 ounces of fuel were drained from the left main fuel tank and no fuel was recovered from the right main fuel tank. Historical fuel records associated with the accident airplane revealed the average fuel burn was approximately 35.09 gallons-per-hour, the actual fuel load for the accident flight being only 119 pounds, instead of the pilot reported 280 pounds. The pilot did not visually inspect the fuel tanks. Rather, he relied on gauge readings and his fuel calculations, that amount only allowed approximately 34 minutes of flight at the typical power settings. Testing of components of the fuel quantity indicating system revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Both engines were operated postaccident with no preimpact failure or mechanical malfunction noted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in a total loss of engine power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/26/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1756 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Goodland |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 34140 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 254902N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0813842W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1753 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | APF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 8 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 23 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 70 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.09 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26728 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern C-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 26 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 20 2010 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Lauderdale, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4912A |
| NTSB Number | MIA08LA128 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 310R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 310R1399 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5680 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 24 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 78 |
| Airframe Hours | 8914 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | VILLARD, ROBERT E |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | NAPLES |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34114-8955 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MARCO AVIATION, INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Marco Island |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 34114 |
| Operator Code | MAEA |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | MAEA397B |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | EYW |
| Departure City | Key West |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1722 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MKY |
| Destination City | Marco Island |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 24 2010 12:52PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |