# NTSB ATL03LA144: Beech A90, N34HA, Summerville, SC, September 22, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 21, 2003, 23:30 local (Sep 22, 2003, 03:30 UTC) - Place: Summerville, SC - Coordinates: 33.051109, -80.267776 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.0511&lon=-80.2678&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Columbia FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58017 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL03LA144 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58017/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA144 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, emergency descent/landing - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - all engines - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - In flight collision with object, emergency descent/landing - object - tree(s) ## Analysis According to the pilot, prior to takeoff, he had the airplane fueled with 20 gallons of fuel in each wing for the short cross-country flight. After takeoff the airplane climbed to an altitude of 9500 feet. During the downwind to the arrival airport the right engine lost power. Shortly after the left engine lost power, the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel tanks were not beached, and there was a small amount of residual fuel in the fuel tanks. The exact amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the departure was not determined. ## Factual narrative On September 21, 2003, at 2330 eastern daylight time, a Beech A90, N34HA, registered to and operated by Hawk Aviation LLC and operated by a commercial pilot, collided with the trees during an emergency landing at Summerville Airport, Summerville, South Carolina. The personal flight was conducted under then provisions of Title 14 Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot received minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Barnwell County Airport, Barnwell, South Carolina, on September 21, 2003, at 2200. According to the pilot, prior to takeoff, he had the airplane fueled with 20 gallons of fuel in each wing for the short cross-country flight. After takeoff the airplane climbed to an altitude of 9500 feet. During the downwind to the arrival airport the right engine quit. As the throttles were powered back an engine start was attempted and the right engine started to power back up. Shortly afterward both engines quit and the pilot made an emergency off-airport landing in a wooded area two miles east of the airport. . Examination of the airplane revealed a 5-foot outboard section of the left and right wing were broken off, and the fuselage was buckled. Examination of the fuel system revealed that the fuel tanks were not beached, and that there was a small amount of residual fuel in the fuel tanks. An on-site functional check of the fuel system fuel pumps was conducted. The fuel pumps were operational and were check for fuel flow deliverance to the respective engine fuel control unit. No fuel was observed flowing to the respective engine. The maintaince logbooks for the airplane were not recovered for examination. The exact amount of fuel onboard the airplane at the time of the departure was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N34HA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N34HA-2009-08-26), registration cancelled 2009-08-26, S/N LJ315, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A90 - Registry model: [Beech 65-A90](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-65-a90) (registry code 1152908) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney PT6A series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (registry code 52032, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: LJ315 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER 750 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Hawk Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BNL, BARNWELL, SC - Destination: DYB, SUMMERVILLE, SC - Airport: DYB, Dorchester County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 9,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 100° at 11 knots, gusting 16 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: CHS ## 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 20030921024979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030921024979A), Sep 21, 2003: Beech 65A90, Summerville, SC, Substantial damage. (-23) Aircraft crashed in woods 11 miles nw of charleston, SC after both engines failed. Aircraft was enroute from barnwell SC to Summerville SC. Substantial… 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.