20190325001989A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech 95-B55 (T42A) · Clewiston, FL · March 25, 2019

Date: March 25, 2019 · 12:45 local
Place: Clewiston, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N323MT
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA19LA136
Reported as: Beech 95-B55 (T42A)
Reported engine: Continental I0-470 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 905 total40 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days

N323MTRegistration cancelled Jun 10, 2021 · Beech 95-B55 (T42A)S/N TC-1256 Airframe modelBeech 95-B55 (T42A)Engine modelContinental I0-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed fort lauderdale executive airport at approx. 11:00AM EDT. Pilot received fuel for auxiliary tanks before departure, but not for main tanks. Pilot's only method of verification of fuel on board was from fuel gauges. While leveling off for cruise, the pilot experienced a left engine failure. The pilot request a vector from ATC to the nearest airport. Approx. 5 minutes later, the pilot experienced a right engine failure. The pilot attempted to land in a field after the right engine failed. After touchdown, the airplane did not stop before the airplane reached a canal and then subsequently made impact with terrain. The front passenger had a broken wrist as a result of the accident.

Upon examination of the damage to the aircraft, the main fuel tanks were empty and the auxiliary fuel tanks had fuel. The fuel selectors were set to the main tanks for both engines. The pilot stated he never switched the fuel selectors to auxiliary tanks during this flight.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED FORT LAUDERDALE EXECUTIVE AIRPORT AT APPROX. 11:00AM EDT. PILOT RECEIVED FUEL FOR AUXILIARY TANKS BEFORE DEPARTURE, BUT NOT FOR MAIN TANKS. PILOT'S ONLY METHOD OF VERIFICATION OF FUEL ON BOARD WAS FROM FUEL GAUGES. WHILE LEVELING OFF FOR CRUISE, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LEFT ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT REQUEST A VECTOR FROM ATC TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. APPROX. 5 MINUTES LATER, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A RIGHT ENGINE FAILURE. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN A FIELD AFTER THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT STOP BEFORE THE AIRPLANE REACHED A CANAL AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY MADE IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. THE FRONT PASSENGER HAD A BROKEN WRIST AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.

UPON EXAMINATION OF THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY AND THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS HAD FUEL. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE SET TO THE MAIN TANKS FOR BOTH ENGINES. THE PILOT STATED HE NEVER SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTORS TO AUXILIARY TANKS DURING THIS FLIGHT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA19LA136Accident · Serious injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportClewiston, FLThe pilot's mismanagement of the available fuel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to perform the appropriate emergency checklists following the loss of engine power.Mar 25, 2019 · Substantial damage