Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55347
Monday, October 5, 2009 12:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane had just undergone its annual maintenance inspection. The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight in the twin-engine airplane about 600 feet above ground level when the left engine stopped producing power. He completed the shutdown checklist for the left engine and feathered the propeller. He applied full power to the right engine, but the airplane continued to lose altitude. He executed a forced landing to a large wooded area away from houses. Numerous witnesses reported that they heard and/or saw the airplane as it flew overhead at a low altitude. All reported hearing a loud engine noise without any sputtering. One witness reported that the left propeller was not turning. The inspection of the airplane revealed that the electric fuel pump found in the left engine nacelle exhibited blue staining on the top surface of the pump. The blue staining was consistent with a fuel leak. The test of the electric fuel pump revealed that the end cap gasket had failed, which allowed air to be drawn into the system by both the electric and engine-driven fuel pumps, thus starving the engine of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of left engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of the failure of the engine's electric fuel pump end cap gasket, which allowed air to be drawn into the fuel system.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/5/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Eden Prairie
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55347
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 444938N
Event Location Longitude 0932725W
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 1253 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.06
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26742
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Minneapolis FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2010 5:50PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N124N
NTSB Number CEN10LA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Temco
Aircraft Model D-16A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number TTN-60
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3387
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AZ Aeromachine LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Robert Fiske
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Mound
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 55364
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ANE
Departure City Anoka
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1140
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FCM
Destination City Eden Prairie
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2010 3:40PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --