- Date
- February 17, 2012, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, WI
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N4624ABeech 95-B55
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern base: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-AGL-MKE
- FAA report
- 20120217002229A
- Case key
- 82944
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 inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Findings · 3
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
The private pilot, who did not hold a multi-engine airplane rating, departed in the multi-engine airplane to fly to another airport to purchase fuel. About 7 miles from the destination airport, the right engine stopped producing power. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the crossfeed position and was able to regain power on the right engine. However, when the airplane was about 2.5 miles from the destination airport, both engines stopped producing power. The pilot feathered the propellers and made an off-airport landing on a road. The airplane traveled into a ditch next to the road, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and aft fuselage. A postaccident examination revealed no visible fuel in the fuel tanks.
Factual narrative
The private pilot, who did not hold a multi-engine rating, took off to fly to another airport to purchase fuel. About 7 miles from the destination airport, the right engine stopped producing power. The pilot switched the fuel selector to crossfeed and was able to regain power on the right engine. According to the pilot, both engines subsequently lost power when the airplane was about 2 1/2 miles from the destination airport. The pilot feathered the propellers and made an off airport landing on a road. The airplane traveled into a ditch next to the road resulting in substantial damage to the left wing and aft fuselage. A postaccident examination revealed no visible fuel in the fuel tanks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4624A
- Reported as
- Beech 95-B55
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- TC-1341
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-L, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dangberg Dennis
- Registered owner
- Dangberg Dennis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 2012 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- FEP · Freeport, IL
- Destination
- 73C · Lancaster, WI
- Airport
- 73C · Lancaster Municipal Airport
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 35 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- DBQ, 28 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 573 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.