# NTSB ANC06LA112: Beech BE-18, N498BH, Culebra, PR, August 8, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 8, 2006, 12:34 local (16:34 UTC) - Place: Culebra, PR - Coordinates: 18.316667, -65.324996 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=18.3167&lon=-65.3250&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA-San Juan FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 64323 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC06LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64323/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC06LA112 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation/exhaustion in all engines for an undetermined reason during cruise flight, which resulted in a forced landing and ditching. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - all engines - fluid,fuel - starvation/exhaustion (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Ditching, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The airline transport certificated pilot was hired to fly the twin engine airplane from Antigua to Puerto Rico. The airplane had not been flown in the previous 12 years, and the initial test flight revealed some discrepancies, including high fuel pressure on the right engine, and a strong smell of gasoline fumes inside the airplane. On the accident date, the pilot said that he was told the airplane had received an annual inspection, and had been fueled with 152 gallons in the main wing tanks. He said he had a conversation with maintenance personnel who told him that there was some residual fuel in the left rear fuel tank, and that fuel in the right rear tank would not feed. The pilot said he departed with 3 hours of fuel on the Title 14, CFR Part 91 flight. About 1.5 hours after departure, he noticed a strong odor of fuel inside the airplane, and shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power, followed quickly by the left engine. He said he suspected a fuel stoppage problem and performed emergency procedures by switching fuel tanks and attempting to restart the engines. The pilot noted that he was unable to cross-feed fuel because the valve handle would turn 360 degrees, without operating properly. He also noted that there was no fuel pressure, and the fuel gauges indicated empty. The pilot was unable to restart either engine, feathered the propellers, and ditched the airplane near the shore of an island. The airplane subsequently sank in about 50 feet of water. The owner of the airplane reported that after the airplane was retrieved, 60 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left wing fuel tank, and 25 gallons was recovered from the right wing fuel tank. ## Factual narrative On August 8, 2006, about 1234 eastern daylight time, a wheel-equipped Beech BE-18 airplane, N498BH, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in the ocean, about 200 yards from the west shoreline of Isla de Culebra, Puerto Rico. The airplane was being operated as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The airplane was operated by the pilot. The airline transport certificated pilot and the sole passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an international VFR flight plan was filed. The flight originated at the V.C. Bird International Airport, St. John's, Antigua, about 1100, and was en route to the Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport, San Juan, Puerto Rico. During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC), on August 14, and in the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) submitted by the pilot, the pilot reported that he had been hired to fly the twin engine airplane from Antigua to Puerto Rico by the new owner of the airplane. The pilot said the airplane had not been flown in the previous 12 years. The pilot conducted a test flight in the airplane on August 5, 2006, from Antigua, and noted some discrepancies, including high fuel pressure on the right engine, and a strong smell of gasoline fumes inside the airplane. The pilot returned to Puerto Rico while the airplane was repaired. On August 8, 2006, the pilot returned to Antigua, and noted that the airplane had received an annual inspection, and had been fueled with 34 gallons of fuel to bring the total fuel on board to 152 gallons in the main wing tanks. He reported that he had a conversation with maintenance personnel, who told him that there was some residual fuel in the left rear fuel tank, and that fuel in the right rear tank would not feed. The distance from Antigua to Puerto Rico is about 253 nautical miles. The distance from Antigua to the accident site is about 215 nautical miles. The pilot said he departed with 3 hours of fuel, and was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet, with a ground speed of 185 knots. About 1.5 hours after departure, the pilot said he noticed a strong odor of fuel inside the airplane, and shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power, followed quickly by the left engine. He said he did not observe any visible evidence of fuel on the outside of the airplane. The flight had just passed the Island of Culebra, and he turned toward the island. He said he suspected a fuel stoppage problem, and did not initially feather the engines, but kept the propellers wind milling while he performed emergency procedures by switching fuel tanks and attempting to restart the engines. The pilot noted that he was unable to cross-feed fuel because the valve handle would turn 360 degrees, without operating properly. He also noted that there was no fuel pressure, and the fuel gauges indicated empty. The pilot was unable to restart either engine, feathered the propellers, and ditched the airplane near the shore of the island. Both occupants got out of the airplane, along with an emergency raft. The airplane sank in about 50 feet of water. During a telephone conversation with the NTSB IIC on August 15, the owner of the airplane reported that the airplane had been recovered from the water, and it was en route to Puerto Rico. The owner said that once the airplane was out of the water, 60 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left wing fuel tank, and 25 gallons was recovered from the right wing fuel tank. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N498BH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N498BH-2012-12-18), registration cancelled 2012-12-18, S/N 39952, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech BE-18 - Registry model: [Beech JRB-6](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-jrb-6) (registry code 1151026) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R-985 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r-985-series) (registry code 52008, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 39952 - Engines: Pratt and Whitney R-985 450 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Luis E. Hernandez - Registered owner: Thomas Cuyler - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2006, 2 hours before - Departed: ANU, St. John's - Destination: TJIG, San Juan, PR - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 69; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 34,450 total, 14,150 in this make and model, 27,600 as pilot in command, 66 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 86 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20060808021149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060808021149A), Aug 8, 2006: Beech JRB6, Destroyed. (-23) Both engines quit apparently due to fuel starvation. When aircraft was recovered after ditching, there were 75 gals. Of fuel in one main tank. All other… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.