# Incident 20121010022399I: Aero Commander 500-B, Porterville, CA, October 10, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 10, 2012, 14:30 local time
- Place: Porterville, CA
- Airport: Porterville Municipal
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0296° N, 119.0627° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at PORTERVILLE MUNI (PTV), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0296&lon=-119.0627&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1165Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1165Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aero Commander 500-B (registry code 0141106, https://openairdocs.org/model/aero-commander-500-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AERO COMMANDER 500-B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-540 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,500 total, 350 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121010022399I

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BFL TO PTV ON 10/10/2012 WITH 55 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON FINAL TO PTV AROUND 2:30PM WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL POWER LOSS IN BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A 45 ENTRY APP. 3NM TO THE DOWNWIND AT 1500MSL. BOTH ENGINES SHUT DOWN AND THE PILOT NOTICED A FLUCTUATION IN THE FUEL FLOW INDICATORS. HE QUICKLY LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON A DIRT ROAD APP. 3/4 OF A MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT GET DAMAGED, NOR WERE THERE ANY INJURIES OR FATALITIES. THE AIRCRAFT FUEL GAGE DISPLAYED 60 GALLONS OF FUEL AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE MECHANIC DRAINED ONLY THREE GALLONS OF FUEL FROM THE TANKS UNTIL IT WAS EMPTY. WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED, THE GAUGE STILL READ 60 GALLONS. THE MECHANIC PUT 45 GALLONS OF FUEL BACK INTO THE AIRCRAFT, THEN DRAINED 10 GALLONS AT A TIME. EVERY INCREMENT READ THE SAME, 60 GALLONS. MECHANIC SUSPECTS FAULTY WIRING OR BAD TRANSMITTER / FUEL SENDER. THE MECHANIC FOUND A BROKEN WIRE AT THE TRANSMITTER. HE REPLACED THE BROKEN WIRE AND A MDR WAS GENERATED FOR THE TRANSMITTER. THE PILOT RECEIVED COUSELING BY OPS INSPECTOR BECAUSE HE ATTEMPTED A ROUND TRIP FROM PORTERVILLE TO BAKERSFIELD ON 55 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE INDICATOR STILL DISPLAYED 55 GALLONS OF FUEL IN BAKERSFIELD BEFORE RETURNING BACK TO PORTERVILLE.

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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