# Accident 19980218001339A: Beech 95B55, Buffalo, NY, February 18, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 18, 1998, 15:00 local time - Place: Buffalo, NY - Airport: Greater Buffalo International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 42.9404° N, 78.7306° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at , within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.9404&lon=-78.7306&mi=10 - Aircraft: N1072W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1072W-2006-02-06) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Beech 95-B55 (T42A) (registry code 1152706, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95B55 - Reported engine: CONT IO520L - People aboard: 6 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 115 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA028) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980218001339A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. LOST POWER RIGHT ENGINE ON LIFTOFF. RIGHT WING HIT. LIGHTS. SHEARED GEAR. STRUCK LIGHTS AND SIGNS PRIOR STOPPING. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 14, AND HE APPLIED FULL POWER FOR TAKEOFF. AT ROTATION, APPROXIMATELY 104 KNOTS, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE LOWERED THE NOSE, APPLIED FULL LEFT RUDDER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TWO TAXIWAY SIGNS, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR SHEARED OFF, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL. HE SAID HE DEPARTED WITH THE FUEL SELECTORS ON THE MAIN TANK POSITION, AND THAT HE TURNED OFF ALL THE SWITCHES BEFORE EXITING THE AIRPLANE. AN FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT HE FOUND THE FUEL SELECTORS POSITIONED TO THE AUXILIARY TANKS. THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL TANK WAS DRAINED AND CONTAINED 3.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK, '...TAKEOFF AND LAND ON MAIN FUEL TANKS ONLY...DO NOT TAKE OFF IF FUEL QUANTITY GAGES INDICATE IN YELLOW ARC OR WITH LESS THAN 13 GALLONS IN EACH MAIN TANK...' THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD APPROXIMATELY 56 GALLONS ON BOARD, 1/4 IN THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS AND 3/4 IN THE MAIN FUEL TANKS. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN AFTER ACCIDENT AND IT OPERATED SATISFACTORY. (-23)ON WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1998 AT 1500 EST, A BEECHCRAFT BARON 95-B55, N1072W, PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED OF HAMPTON AIR, CRASHED WHILE ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF FROM TUNWAY 14 AT BUFFALO, NY (BUF). THE AIRCRAFT, WITH SIX PEOPLE OF BOARD, LOST POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE AS THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED BETWEEN TAXIWAY R AND Q. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND TO THE RIGHT (SOUTH) OF THE RUNWAY AND THE MAIN GEAR MADE CONTACT APPROAXIMATELY 100 FEET LATER. IT STRUCK 2 RUNWAY SIGNS, SHEARED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR OFF, SLID ACROSS TAXIWAY INTERSECTION R AND Q, STRUCK A THRID SIGN AND STOPPED NEAR THE OLD N-S RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE OCCUPANTS EVACUATED WITHOUT INJURY. THE AIRCRAFT IS AT PRIOR AVIATION SERVICE AT BUF AIRPORT. NTSB AND COMM CTR NOTIFIED. THE CAUSE AND TIEM 3 AND 9 OF THE NINE RESPONSIBILITIES ARE STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. ## 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 IAD98LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98LA028), Feb 18, 1998: Beech 55B (N1072W), Buffalo, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: Improper use of the fuel selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power. ## Other reports on N1072W (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19851120071549I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19851120071549I), Nov 20, 1985: Beech 95B55 (N1072W), Brunswick, GA. Executed an IFR approach to the wrong airport during IFR conditions. Located correct airport, proceeded VFR. - [Incident 19800716061259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800716061259I), Jul 16, 1980: Beech 95B55 (N1072W), Jackson, MS, Minor damage. Left gear collapsed after landing. Cause undetermined. 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.