- Date
- December 27, 2010, 22:46 local (Dec 28, 2010, 03:46 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N888CAAero Commander 500-B
- Defining event
- Approach-circling (IFR): Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20101227054099A
- Case key
- 78087
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper fuel management which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
Prior to the flight, the pilot preflighted the airplane and recalled observing the fuel gauge indicating full; however, he did not visually check the fuel tanks. The airplane departed and the en route portion of the flight was uneventful. During the downwind leg of the circling approach, the engines began to surge and the pilot added full power and turned on the fuel boost pumps. While abeam the approach end of the runway on the downwind leg, the engines again started to surge and subsequently lost power. He executed a forced landing and the airplane impacted terrain short of the runway. A postaccident examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed the fuselage was buckled in several areas, and the left wing was crushed and bent upward. The fuel tanks were intact and approximately one cup of fuel was drained from the single fuel sump. Fueling records indicated the airplane was fueled 3 days prior to the accident with 135 gallons of fuel or approximately 4 hours of operational time. Flight records indicated the airplane had flown approximately 4 hours since refueling when the engines lost power.
Factual narrative
Prior to the flight, the pilot preflighted the airplane and recalled observing the fuel gauge indicating full; however, he did not visually check the fuel tanks. The airplane departed and the en route portion of the flight was uneventful. During the downwind leg of the circling approach, the engines began to surge and the pilot added full power and turned on the fuel boost pumps which "seemed to resolve the problem..." While abeam the approach end of the runway on the downwind leg, the engines again started to surge and subsequently lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing and the airplane impacted terrain short of the runway. Examination of the airplane by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors revealed the fuselage was buckled in several areas, and the left wing was crushed and bent upward. The fuel tanks were intact and approximately one cup of fuel was drained from the single fuel sump. Fueling records indicated the airplane was fueled 3 days prior with 135 gallons of fuel or approximately 4 hours of operational time. Flight records indicated the airplane had flown approximately 4 hours since refueling when the engines lost power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N888CA
- Reported as
- Aero Commander 500-B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1318-127
- Airframe hours
- 24,922
- Engines
- Lycoming TI0-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocatingLycoming IO-540, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Central Airlines Inc
- Registered owner
- Central Airlines Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 28, 2010
- Departed
- JVY · Jeffersonville, IN
- Destination
- Columbus, OH
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 6, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,700 total · 3,525 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 278 in the last 90 days · 73 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 413 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N888CA · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.