# NTSB ATL02IA079: Rockwell International 500-S, N8536, Jackson, AL, April 8, 2002 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: April 8, 2002, 08:50 local (13:50 UTC) - Place: Jackson, AL - Location: 31.5114° N, 87.8785° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs from NTSB’s distance and direction from JACKSON MUNI (4R3), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - NTSB coordinates: 32.289585, -90.179687 (estimated), outside the stated state - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5114&lon=-87.8785&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 23, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Birmingham FSDO-09 - NTSB case key (mKey): 54532 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL02IA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54532/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54532 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL02IA079 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, loss of engine power in both engines, and subsequent forced landing in a field. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - all engines - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis The pilot stated the airplane was topped off with fuel. About an hour into the flight, power was lost in both engines. The pilot executed an emergency landing in a field and exited the airplane. The pilot stated she saw the fuel cap was off and hanging by its chain. Examination of the airplane revealed there was no fuel in the fuel system, and there was no evidence of fuel splatter on the wing, fuselage, or tail surfaces. The wing skin around the fuel fill port and chain attachment displayed no scratches nor dents. The fuel cap chain assembly was of the type designed to break free at 20 knots airspeed in the event a fuel cap is left unsecured, and the airplane was equipped with a non-siphoning fuel fill port. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction, and no evidence of defect was observed with the fuel cap chain. ## Factual narrative On April 8, 2002, at 0850 central daylight time, a Rockwell International 500-S, N8536, registered to and operated by Air Carriers, Inc., landed in a field following a loss of power in both engines in Jackson, Alabama. The on-demand air taxi flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 135 with an instrument flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. The commercial pilot was not injured, and the airplane was not damaged. The flight departed Bessemer, Alabama, at 0750 on April 6, 2002. The pilot stated she completed her "usual preflight of the aircraft, which included checking engine oil and fuel," and she stated, "the fuel was topped off." Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the flight was cruising at 8,000 feet msl. At this time the fuel gauge showed 80 gallons in the fuel tank. Approximatelt 10 minutes later, the fuel gauge showed 50 gallons of fuel in the tank. The pilot elected to continue the flight to the planned destination of Mobile, Alabama. As the flight approached Jackson, Alabama, both engines sputtered, and the pilot performed the fuel emergency checklist. The pilot turned on the fuel boost pumps and retuned the mixture levers to full rich. The pilot reported the engine out problem to air traffic control, and requested a heading to the nearest airport. The pilot reversed her heading and statred a descent from 8000 feet. The airplane descended through the clouds and broke out about 2,800 feet msl. The pilot saw only trees and rolling hills, however the pilot located a pasture and landed the airplane without further incident. The pilot stated, "both engines were stopped. At that time I exited the airplane and did notice the fuel cap was off, still attached to the chain." Examination of the airplane found the fuel cap was unsecured and hanging by its chain. There was no fuel in the fuel system, and there was no evidence of fuel splatter on the wing, fuselage, or tail surfaces. The wing skin around the fuel fill port and chain attachment displayed no scratches nor dents. The fuel cap chain assembly was of the type designed to break free at 20 knots airspeed in the event a fuel cap is left unsecured, and the airplane was equipped with a non-siphoning fuel fill port. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction, and no evidence of defect was observed with the fuel cap chain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8536](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8536), registered now, S/N 3267, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rockwell International 500-S - Registry model: [Rockwell International 500-S](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-500-s) (registry code 7630410) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3267 - Airframe hours: 12610.6 - Engines: Lycoming L-12609-48 290 horsepower reciprocating; Lycoming L-10964-48 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: No damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Air Carriers, Inc. - Registered owner: Air Carriers, Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 30, 2002, 11.2 hours before - Departed: EKY, Bessemer, AL - Destination: BFM, Mobile, AL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: 4R3, Jackson Municipal Airport, runway 18, 4,995 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review February 28, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,764 total, 81 in this make and model, 1,676 as pilot in command, 283 in the last 90 days, 123 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 12 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: GZH, 45 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20020408006989I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020408006989I), Apr 8, 2002: Gulstm 500S, Jackson, AL. (-23) While on an IFR flight plan from bessemer, Alabama (eky) to mobile, Alabama (bfm), N8536 was at a cruising altitude of 8,000 feet when the aircraft lost… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 3, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54532. 37 KB in all. - Record of Telephone Conversation - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40427778&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Redacted.PDF 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.