# Accident 19980216001219A: Beech C90, Newton, WV, February 16, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 16, 1998, 09:36 local time
- Place: Newton, WV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5895° N, 81.1495° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5895&lon=-81.1495&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5WU, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5WU-1998-09-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech C90 (registry code 1152913, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c90) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C90
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A20A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 12,700 total, 6,155 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980216001219A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

LOST POWER BOTH ENGINES. DESTOYED LANDING. HAD KNOWN MECH PROBLEMS. FAILED FEATHER. STALLED. FUEL PUMPS INOP. (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MORGANTOWN (MGW), WV ON AN IFT FLIGHT TO CHARLESTON (CRW), WV WITH KNOWN MECHANICAL DEFICIENCES (SEE #40). AIRCRAFT LOST POWER TO BOTH ENGINES AND WAS DESTROYED IN AN ATTEMPTED OFF AIRPORT LANDING, APPROX. 22 NM NE OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA. (.4) THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN FROM MORGANTOWN TO CHARLESTON TO DROP OFF PASSENGERS.  ONCE THERE, THE PILOT CALLED THE MECHANIC WHO WAS SCHEDULED TO REPLACE THE RIGHT TRANSFER PUMP, AND TOLD HIM THE RIGHT BOOST PUMP WAS ALSO INOPERATIVE.  THE MECHANIC TOLD THE PILOT, HE WOULD REPLACE BOTH PUMPS THE NEXT MORNING IN CHARLESTON.  ADDING THAT DE-FUELING THE AIRPLANE WOULD TAKE LONGER THAN CHANGING THE PUMPS.  THE MECHANIC RECALLED THAT THE PILOT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF TIME NECESSARY FOR THE REPAIR.  THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN REPOSITIONED BACK TO MORGANTOWN FOR ANOTHER FLIGHT THE NEXT DAY TO CHARLESTON.  THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED MORGANTOWN, AND WAS BEING VECTORED FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO CHARLESTON WHEN THE COPILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY.  HE THEN ANNOUNCED THAT THEY HAD 'A DUAL ENGINE   FAILURE, TWO SOULS ONBOARD AND ZERO FUEL.' EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND BOTH ENGINES REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.  WITH THE RIGHT TRANSFER PUMP INOPERATIVE. 28 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT WING WOULD BE UNUSABLE.  IN ADDITION, THE FLIGHT MANUAL STATES THAT 'BOTH BOOST PUMPS MUST BE OPERABLE PRIOR TO TAKE-OFF.'

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD98FA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA027), Feb 16, 1998: Beech C-90 (N5WU), Newton, WV, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot inadequate management of the fuel system which resulted in fuel starvation to both engines. Factors in the accident were the pilot's concern about maintenance being completed prior to…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.