# NTSB CEN12CA079: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), N8188R, College Station, TX, November 10, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: November 10, 2011, 09:45 local (14:45 UTC) - Place: College Station, TX - Coordinates: 30.660833, -96.499725 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6608&lon=-96.4997&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report March 8, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 82378 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12CA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82378/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82378 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA079 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power from both engines, which resulted from fuel exhaustion due to the pilot’s inadequate pre-flight preparation. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management; cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A), 22 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152706), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, after 2.25 hours of cross country flight, the left engine lost power and began to surge. The pilot contacted air traffic control, declared an emergency, and asked the controller for vectors to the nearest airport. During the descent toward an abandoned airport, the left engine continued to surge, and the pilot adjusted the mixture controls to full rich on both engines, turned on the fuel boost pumps, checked the magnetos, and checked the fuel valves. As the airplane descended through 3,000 feet mean sea level, the right engine surged and lost power. The pilot assessed that he could not make it to the airport and decided to land on a farm road. While turning from base leg to final approach for the road, the pilot lowered the landing gear and assessed that he would not be able to reach the road. Subsequently, the airplane hit the tops of trees about 50 feet from the road and descended to the ground with the main landing gear touching down first. As the nose landing gear touched the ground, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the front of the fuselage and the rudder. Emergency responders to the accident scene reported that they did not see or smell the presence of fuel around the wreckage. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident site did not find evidence of fuel in the wreckage or the surrounding area. After the accident, the pilot initially said that he ran out of fuel and that he was not certain of the amount of fuel that was in the airplane when he departed on the flight. Later, the pilot reported that, based on a visual inspection, he estimated he had about 136 gallons of fuel on board prior to commencing the flight. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that after 2 hours and 15 minutes of cross country flight, the left engine lost power and began to surge. The pilot contacted Air Traffic Control, declared an emergency, and asked for vectors to the nearest airport. During the descent toward an abandoned airport, the left engine continued to surge and the pilot went to full rich on both engines, turned on the fuel boost pumps, checked the magnetos, and checked the fuel valves. As the airplane descended through 3,000 feet, the right engine surged and lost power. The pilot assessed that he could not make it to the airport and selected a farm road to try to land. While turning from base leg to final approach for the road, the pilot lowered the landing gear and assessed that he not be able to make the road. Subsequently, the airplane hit the tops of trees about 50 feet from the road and descended to the ground with the main landing gear touching down first. As the nose landing gear touched the ground, the airplane flipped over inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the front of the fuselage and the rudder. Emergency responders to the accident scene reported that they did not see or smell the presence of fuel around the wreckage. An FAA inspector who responded to the accident site did not find evidence of fuel in the wreckage or the surrounding area. After the accident, the pilot initially stated to an FAA inspector that he ran out of fuel and he was not certain of the amount of fuel that was in the airplane when he initially departed on the flight. In a written statement, the pilot reported that he estimated he had about 136 gallons of fuel on board prior to commencing the flight. He noted that the amount was an estimate from a visual inspection during preflight. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8188R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8188R-2018-01-29), registration cancelled 2018-01-29, S/N TC-1761, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH 95-B55 (T42A) - Registry model: [Beech 95-B55 (T42A)](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-b55-t42a) (registry code 1152706) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: TC-1761 - Airframe hours: 5953 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: South Delta Aviation Inc - Registered owner: South Delta Aviation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 14, 2011 - Departed: HEE, West Helena, AR - Destination: SAT, San Antonio, TX - Flight plan: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: minor; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 4, 2009; seat: left; flight hours: 20,352 total, 18 in this make and model, 20,000 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 22 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °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 20111110027269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111110027269A), Nov 10, 2011: Beech 95-B55 (T42A), College Station, TX, Substantial damage. IFR flight khee to ksat experienced power loss due to fuel starvation on both engines after a fligth of approximately 02 hour and 20 minutes of flight. Pilot… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 19, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82378. 6.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 5.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40361388&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Reports from State Agencies (Texas DPS Incident Report) (item 2, .PDF, 411 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40361390&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Reports%20from%20State%20Agencies%20(Texas%20DPS%20Incident%20Report)-Master.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.