What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4) The commercial pilot reported a partial power loss to the right engine that `could be...fuel starvation' during an IFR x-country flight. During the visual approach to an alternate airport, the aircraft impacted trees short of the runway. The right auxiliary fuel pump switch was found on hi, the right fuel selector off, & the left fuel selector on x-feed. Flaps & landing gear were extended. The right propeller was not feathered. The CG was estimated at 07.09 inches (aft limit 94.6 inches). The pilot reported the right engine experienced a `mechanical fuel pump and/or aneroid' failure. The right auxiliary fuel pump was tested and found to pump fluid. Damage to the engine driven (mechancial) pump precluded testing. The engine driven fuel pump failure checklist states that the lack of fuel flow indication while on the hi auxiliary fuel pump position could indicate fuel exhaustion. The single-engine landing checklist calls for landing gear & flap extension when certain of making the airport. The checklist also calls for feathering the propeller of the inoperative engine. (-23)airplane departed brownsville, TX (bro) under IFR at 1942 (l). During approach to Wharton airport (SR5) in IMC, experienced right engine failure. Airplane hit trees 1 NM north of Wharton airport. Left wing and right engine separated upon ground/tree impact. No significant amount of fuel was found in either aircraft tank during post crash investigation. Fire scorched aft section of left engine and inboard wing area. All 7 occupants were injured.
As the FAA filed it
(.4) THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS TO THE RIGHT ENGINE THAT `COULD BE...FUEL STARVATION' DURING AN IFR X-COUNTRY FLIGHT. DURING THE VISUAL APPROACH TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP SWITCH WAS FOUND ON HI, THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR OFF, & THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR ON X-FEED. FLAPS & LANDING GEAR WERE EXTENDED. THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED. THE CG WAS ESTIMATED AT 07.09 INCHES (AFT LIMIT 94.6 INCHES). THE PILOT REPORTED THE RIGHT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A `MECHANICAL FUEL PUMP AND/OR ANEROID' FAILURE. THE RIGHT AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WAS TESTED AND FOUND TO PUMP FLUID. DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE DRIVEN (MECHANCIAL) PUMP PRECLUDED TESTING. THE ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP FAILURE CHECKLIST STATES THAT THE LACK OF FUEL FLOW INDICATION WHILE ON THE HI AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP POSITION COULD INDICATE FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE SINGLE-ENGINE LANDING CHECKLIST CALLS FOR LANDING GEAR & FLAP EXTENSION WHEN CERTAIN OF MAKING THE AIRPORT. THE CHECKLIST ALSO CALLS FOR FEATHERING THE PROPELLER OF THE INOPERATIVE ENGINE. (-23)AIRPLANE DEPARTED BROWNSVILLE, TX (BRO) UNDER IFR AT 1942 (L). DURING APPROACH TO WHARTON AIRPORT (SR5) IN IMC, EXPERIENCED RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE. AIRPLANE HIT TREES 1 NM NORTH OF WHARTON AIRPORT. LEFT WING AND RIGHT ENGINE SEPARATED UPON GROUND/TREE IMPACT. NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN EITHER AIRCRAFT TANK DURING POST CRASH INVESTIGATION. FIRE SCORCHED AFT SECTION OF LEFT ENGINE AND INBOARD WING AREA. ALL 7 OCCUPANTS WERE INJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.