# Accident 20000810043499A: Gulstm 114B, Somerset, PA, August 10, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 10, 2000, 14:50 local time
- Place: Somerset, PA
- Airport: Somerset County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0006° N, 79.0701° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0006&lon=-79.0701&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6101T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6101T-2003-12-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Commander 114-B (registry code 0145001, https://openairdocs.org/model/commander-114-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM 114B
- Reported engine: LYC IO540T4B5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 280 total, 12 in this make and model, 58 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD00LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD00LA072) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000810043499A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND STATEMENTS FROM THE PILOT, WITNESSES, AND AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY PERSONNEL OF THE ALLEGHENY FLIGHT STANDARDS OFFICE, EA03. THE PILOT, MR. JOHN W. BENFORD, HOLDER OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE #163324691, DEPARTED THE SOMERSET COUNTY AIRPORT, 2G9, SOMERSET, PA, ON A LOCAL IFR TRAINING FLIGHT UNDER VMV. AFTER A PREFLIGHT, HE TOOK OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 1400L ON AUGUST 10, 2000. AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM THE SOMERSET AIRPORT, DURING A SECOND LOCALIZER APPROACH, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. HE SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS WHICH ONLY HELPED A LITTLE. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS BUT COULD NOT KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A SCHOOLYARD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT PROPERTY AT 1450 L. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND, IT SLID APPROXIMATELY 65 FEET UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE AND CAME TO A STOP. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION FOUND NO FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE FILTER TO THE FLOW DIVIDER. REMOVAL OF THE FUEL TANK INSPECTION PANELS ON THE WING REVEALED APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF FUEL IN THE WINGS. THERE WAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE WINGS, AND THERE WAS CONTINUITY ESTABLISHED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING PREFLIGHT, HE THOUGHT THERE WERE APPROXIMATLEY 40 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD.

## 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 IAD00LA072](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD00LA072), Aug 10, 2000: Aero Commander 114-B (N6101T), Somerset, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Pilot's improper pre-flight planning, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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.

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