Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Craig Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Selma, Alabama 36701
Saturday, September 29, 2012 14:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he may have unintentionally positioned both the right and left engine fuel selectors to the left main fuel tank during the accident flight. When the right engine experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, the pilot moved its fuel selector to right main fuel tank; however, the pilot did not select the fuel boost pump to "low" per the checklist and as a result, the system may have provided too much fuel to the engine for a restart. The left engine then lost partial power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a dirt road about 6 miles from the intended destination airport. Both fuel selectors were found positioned to the left main fuel tank, but the pilot also indicated he positioned the left fuel selector to the left auxiliary fuel tank at some point.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main fuel tank had been compromised during the accident sequence; however, there was no evidence of fuel at the accident site. The right auxiliary fuel tank contained about 20 gallons of fuel and the right wing locker fuel tank was empty. The left main fuel tank, left wing locker fuel tank, and left auxiliary fuel tank were intact and did not contain any fuel.
Examination of the airplane and both engines did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Although the airplane was not completely exhausted of fuel, operating with such low quantities would have required precise fuel management and fuel selector positions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on the right engine and a partial loss of engine power on the left engine due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/29/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1430 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Selma |
| Event State | ALABAMA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 36701 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 321700N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865700W |
| Event Location Airport | Craig Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | SEM |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 166 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1330 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 45 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MGM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 35 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 8000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| 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) | 32 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.99 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 4 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31676 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 6 2013 12:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1537T |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA589 |
| 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 | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 421B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 421B0307 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 5 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 7 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PREMIER AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1209 NORTH ORANGE ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19801-1120 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | George Arnold |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Huntsville |
| Operator State | AL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 35805 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 4R4 |
| Departure City | Fairhope |
| Departure State | AL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1415 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SEM |
| Destination City | Selma |
| Destination State | AL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 6 2013 12:47PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |