What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 5/21/2014, N116WA, an EMB-110-P1 operated by wiggins airways (axsa) was on a 135 cargo flight (#1042), from mht to btv with a load of ups cargo. privacy data omitted Was the commercial pilot privacy data omitted at the controls and the only occupant. Approximately 40 minutes into the flight, (altitude 8000?), he was just switching over to btv approach control when he experienced a low fuel pressure warning. A short time later, the right engine flamed-out and then the left engine flamed-out. He declared an emergency with btv approach. He then spotted Warren-Sugarbush Airport (OB7) and landed on runway 22 (2,575' paved). Both MLG tires blew-out due to aggressive braking (*), the aircraft came to rest on the left edge of the runway with the left MLG in the grass off the side of the runway. No injuries but there was minor damage to the left flap. Subsequent inspection, revealed both fuel tanks were empty and there was no evidence of fuel leaking from the aircraft. The pilot thought that the fuel quantity gauges indicated he had 1000 lbs of fuel in each wing prior to departure from mht.
Axsa fuel records indicate the aircraft was last fueled on 5/13/2014 prior to the flight from sby to mht for scheduled maintenance. That flight took 1.9 hours with a fuel burn of 1,200 lbs. The recorded fuel remaining upon arrival at mht was 1,100 lbs. Between 5/13/14 and 5/21/14, maintenance performed multiple engine performance runs and 2 repositions to the ups ramp. Axsa estimates the maintenance and repositioning consumed approximately 600 lbs of fuel. (One technician stated that on 5/17/14 while performing an engine run-up, he noted the total fuel remaining was 500 lbs.) Following the 5/21/14 incident, axsa maintenance performed a fuel quantity accuracy test which revealed no discrepancies in the fuel quantity indication system.
The certificate management principals will work with wiggins to ensure adequate procedures are in place to prevent a reoccurrence of this incident. They will also analyze/evaluate the compliance and corrective action issues that might be applicable to this incident.
*It should be noted that the approach end of runway 22 is approximately 30 feet lower in elevation than the highest point which is located at about 2/3 of the total length. At the 2/3 point, the runway crests and slopes down to the FAR end. As a result, whenever a pilot touches down at the approach end, he/she immediately loses sight of the FAR end, and the runway appears to be much shorter.
As the FAA filed it
ON 5/21/2014, N116WA, AN EMB-110-P1 OPERATED BY WIGGINS AIRWAYS (AXSA) WAS ON A 135 CARGO FLIGHT (#1042), FROM MHT TO BTV WITH A LOAD OF UPS CARGO. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE COMMERCIAL PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT THE CONTROLS AND THE ONLY OCCUPANT. APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, (ALTITUDE 8000?), HE WAS JUST SWITCHING OVER TO BTV APPROACH CONTROL WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A LOW FUEL PRESSURE WARNING. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE RIGHT ENGINE FLAMED-OUT AND THEN THE LEFT ENGINE FLAMED-OUT. HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH BTV APPROACH. HE THEN SPOTTED WARREN-SUGARBUSH AIRPORT (OB7) AND LANDED ON RUNWAY 22 (2,575' PAVED). BOTH MLG TIRES BLEW-OUT DUE TO AGGRESSIVE BRAKING (*), THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY WITH THE LEFT MLG IN THE GRASS OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. NO INJURIES BUT THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT FLAP. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION, REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT THOUGHT THAT THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES INDICATED HE HAD 1000 LBS OF FUEL IN EACH WING PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM MHT.
AXSA FUEL RECORDS INDICATE THE AIRCRAFT WAS LAST FUELED ON 5/13/2014 PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT FROM SBY TO MHT FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THAT FLIGHT TOOK 1.9 HOURS WITH A FUEL BURN OF 1,200 LBS. THE RECORDED FUEL REMAINING UPON ARRIVAL AT MHT WAS 1,100 LBS. BETWEEN 5/13/14 AND 5/21/14, MAINTENANCE PERFORMED MULTIPLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE RUNS AND 2 REPOSITIONS TO THE UPS RAMP. AXSA ESTIMATES THE MAINTENANCE AND REPOSITIONING CONSUMED APPROXIMATELY 600 LBS OF FUEL. (ONE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT ON 5/17/14 WHILE PERFORMING AN ENGINE RUN-UP, HE NOTED THE TOTAL FUEL REMAINING WAS 500 LBS.) FOLLOWING THE 5/21/14 INCIDENT, AXSA MAINTENANCE PERFORMED A FUEL QUANTITY ACCURACY TEST WHICH REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES IN THE FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION SYSTEM.
THE CERTIFICATE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPALS WILL WORK WITH WIGGINS TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PROCEDURES ARE IN PLACE TO PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT. THEY WILL ALSO ANALYZE/EVALUATE THE COMPLIANCE AND CORRECTIVE ACTION ISSUES THAT MIGHT BE APPLICABLE TO THIS INCIDENT.
*IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 22 IS APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET LOWER IN ELEVATION THAN THE HIGHEST POINT WHICH IS LOCATED AT ABOUT 2/3 OF THE TOTAL LENGTH. AT THE 2/3 POINT, THE RUNWAY CRESTS AND SLOPES DOWN TO THE FAR END. AS A RESULT, WHENEVER A PILOT TOUCHES DOWN AT THE APPROACH END, HE/SHE IMMEDIATELY LOSES SIGHT OF THE FAR END, AND THE RUNWAY APPEARS TO BE MUCH SHORTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.