# Accident 19990521042049A: Cessna 414, Orland, CA, May 21, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 21, 1999, 17:25 local time - Place: Orland, CA - Airport: Haigh Field Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: URSA - Location: 39.5010° N, 122.2802° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5010&lon=-122.2802&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8153Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8153Q-2000-07-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 414 (registry code 2075908, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-414) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 414 - Reported engine: CONT IO520* - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 12,000 total, 480 in this make and model, 136 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA188) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990521042049A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23) AIRCRAFT LANDED SHORT OF RUNWAY AFTER EXPERIENCING ENGINE FAILURE ON BOTH ENGINES. (.4)THE PILOT REFUELED THE AUXILIARY TANKS OF THE AIRPLANE AT A DIFFERENT AIRPORT 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, AND HAD NOT FLOWN ON THE AUXILIARY TANKS SINCE THAT TIME. HE WAS REPOSITIONING THE AIRPLANE BACK TO HOME BASE AFTER A SERIES OF REVENUE FLIGHTS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF HE POSITIONED THE LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS, AND THEN RETURNED TO THE MAINS 30 MINUTES LATER. THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AND SUBSEQUENTLY STOPPED RUNNING. TURNING ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP RESTARTED THE ENGINE. FIVE MINUTES LATER THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE SECURED IT AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL RESTART ATTEMPTS. THEN THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO SURGE AND WAS DEVELOPING ONLY PARTIAL POWER. HE DIVERTED TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT WITH DECAYING ALTITUDE AND POWER IN THE REMAINING ENGINE. CROSSING THE AIRPORT, HE SAW HE WAS TOO HIGH TO LAND WITH A TAILWIND SO HE CIRCLED TO LAND INTO THE WIND. ON THE BASE LEG HE MADE THE DECISION TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A FIELD DUE TO POWER LINES IN HIS PATH, RAPIDL Y DECAYING ALTITUDE, AND POWER. THE LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN FUEL FILTERS CONTAINED A FOREIGN SUBSTANCE, WHICH UPON LABORATORY EXAMINATION, WAS FOUND TO BE A POLYACRYLAMIDE. THIS IS A MANMADE SYNITHETIC POLYMER THAT IS USED AS AN AGRICULTURAL SOIL AMENDMENT THAT AIDS IN REDUCING SOIL ERSION. DISTRIBUTION OF THE POLYMER IS TYPICALLY NOT DONE BY AIRCRAFT. INSPECTION OF THE FUELING FACILITY REVEALED THAT THE EMPLOYEES WHO DO REFUELING DID NOT HAVE ANY FORMAL OR ON-THE-JOB TRAINING. THERE WAS NO RECORD THAT THE DELIVERY SYSTEM FILTERS HAD BEEN EXAMINED OR CHANGED. THE MAINTENANCE TO THE TRUCK, DELIVERY SYSTEM, AND STORAGE FACILITY ARE DONE BY THE EMPLOYEES ON AN AS NEEDED, TIME PERMITTED BASIS. THE FUEL TRUCK WAS FOUND TO BE IMPROPERTLY LABELED, AND THE FUEL NOZZLE WAS LYING IN A COMPARTMENT AMID DIRT, GRAVEL, AND OTHER CONTAMINATED WITH NO CAPS OR COVERS FOR PROTECTION. ## 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 LAX99LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA188), May 22, 1999: Cessna 414 (N8153Q), Orland, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A loss of engine power in both engines due to fuel contamination, which resulted from the fueling facilities improper quality control procedures. 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.