What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 31, 2007, N8688K, a CE-340, was operated to provide an insurance check ride for the new owner's pilots. On that flight, the aircraft had a gear-indication problem; specifically, the right main gear did not indicate down and locked. The check pilot burned down the fuel in the right main tank and landed at iaw because of the long runway it provided. On June 1, 2007, the PIC of the accident flight flew N8688K from iwa to P19 with the gear down and locked, but without a ferry permit. Then at P19, a right gear down switch was replaced. The PIC flew N8688K on the accident flight for the purpose of checking the gear indication system. On that flight, the landing indicating system did not provide a down and locked indication. This resulted in a longer than anticipated flight. The pilot stated that both flights flying N8688K on June 1, 2007, were flown with both engines' fuel source being the left main tank. The PIC stated that he did not visually check fuel quantity and that the following fuel quantity and locations were believed to be in the respective tanks as the PIC based upon his memory of what the fuel quantity indication were: fuel when departing iaw on may 31, 2007, was believed to be: left main-28, left AUX-8, right AUX-8, right main-8, which totals 52 gallons. Fuel when departing P19 on June 1, 2007, was believed to be: left main-19, left AUX-8, right AUX-8, right main-5, which totals 40 gallons. This indicates approximately 12 gallons consumed during the 7-10 minute flight from iaw to P19 on may 31, 2007. The accident flight was approximately 9 minutes. The PIC stated that he did not know if the pilot's operating handbook for the CE-340 had a restriction concerning fuel sources for take-off and landing. The Cessna 340 pilot's operating handbook operations limitations section requires that each engine's fuel source be selected to its respective main tank for takeoff, descent, landing and emergencies. At P19, on June 1, 2007, maintenance was performed replacing the right main gear indicator switch and the PIC flew N8688K for its second flight on June 1, 2007, to check the gear warning system. The PIC stated that during that flight, both main gear did not indicate down and locked and he flew to the southwest and circled while another aircraft visually checked his gear. While returning to P19, the left engine started performing poorly; the PIC selected another fuel source for that engine and eventually feathered it. Just at the approach end of the runway, speed bleed off and the aircraft veered right and it crashed into a housing development. There were two small fuel fires at the accident scene.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 31, 2007, N8688K, A CE-340, WAS OPERATED TO PROVIDE AN INSURANCE CHECK RIDE FOR THE NEW OWNER'S PILOTS. ON THAT FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD A GEAR-INDICATION PROBLEM; SPECIFICALLY, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR DID NOT INDICATE DOWN AND LOCKED. THE CHECK PILOT BURNED DOWN THE FUEL IN THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND LANDED AT IAW BECAUSE OF THE LONG RUNWAY IT PROVIDED. ON JUNE 1, 2007, THE PIC OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT FLEW N8688K FROM IWA TO P19 WITH THE GEAR DOWN AND LOCKED, BUT WITHOUT A FERRY PERMIT. THEN AT P19, A RIGHT GEAR DOWN SWITCH WAS REPLACED. THE PIC FLEW N8688K ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF CHECKING THE GEAR INDICATION SYSTEM. ON THAT FLIGHT, THE LANDING INDICATING SYSTEM DID NOT PROVIDE A DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION. THIS RESULTED IN A LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT BOTH FLIGHTS FLYING N8688K ON JUNE 1, 2007, WERE FLOWN WITH BOTH ENGINES' FUEL SOURCE BEING THE LEFT MAIN TANK. THE PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK FUEL QUANTITY AND THAT THE FOLLOWING FUEL QUANTITY AND LOCATIONS WERE BELIEVED TO BE IN THE RESPECTIVE TANKS AS THE PIC BASED UPON HIS MEMORY OF WHAT THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION WERE: FUEL WHEN DEPARTING IAW ON MAY 31, 2007, WAS BELIEVED TO BE: LEFT MAIN-28, LEFT AUX-8, RIGHT AUX-8, RIGHT MAIN-8, WHICH TOTALS 52 GALLONS. FUEL WHEN DEPARTING P19 ON JUNE 1, 2007, WAS BELIEVED TO BE: LEFT MAIN-19, LEFT AUX-8, RIGHT AUX-8, RIGHT MAIN-5, WHICH TOTALS 40 GALLONS. THIS INDICATES APPROXIMATELY 12 GALLONS CONSUMED DURING THE 7-10 MINUTE FLIGHT FROM IAW TO P19 ON MAY 31, 2007. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 9 MINUTES. THE PIC STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THE CE-340 HAD A RESTRICTION CONCERNING FUEL SOURCES FOR TAKE-OFF AND LANDING. THE CESSNA 340 PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK OPERATIONS LIMITATIONS SECTION REQUIRES THAT EACH ENGINE'S FUEL SOURCE BE SELECTED TO ITS RESPECTIVE MAIN TANK FOR TAKEOFF, DESCENT, LANDING AND EMERGENCIES. AT P19, ON JUNE 1, 2007, MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED REPLACING THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INDICATOR SWITCH AND THE PIC FLEW N8688K FOR ITS SECOND FLIGHT ON JUNE 1, 2007, TO CHECK THE GEAR WARNING SYSTEM. THE PIC STATED THAT DURING THAT FLIGHT, BOTH MAIN GEAR DID NOT INDICATE DOWN AND LOCKED AND HE FLEW TO THE SOUTHWEST AND CIRCLED WHILE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT VISUALLY CHECKED HIS GEAR. WHILE RETURNING TO P19, THE LEFT ENGINE STARTED PERFORMING POORLY; THE PIC SELECTED ANOTHER FUEL SOURCE FOR THAT ENGINE AND EVENTUALLY FEATHERED IT. JUST AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY, SPEED BLEED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED RIGHT AND IT CRASHED INTO A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. THERE WERE TWO SMALL FUEL FIRES AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8688K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.