# NTSB ERA16CA203: Beech F33A, N444VT, Fairfield, NJ, June 5, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: June 5, 2016, 12:05 local (16:05 UTC) - Place: Fairfield, NJ - Coordinates: 40.875278, -74.281387 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8753&lon=-74.2814&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-IFR missed approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 14, 2016 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 93302 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16CA203 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93302/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93302 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA203 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to adequately manage the available fuel supply, resulting in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fluids: fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid management (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 1,695 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010/cases.md) - [Planning/preparation: fuel planning](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 719 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061030/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Approach-IFR missed approach: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Beech F33A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1151425), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the single-engine airplane stated that he departed on a cross country flight but did not visually check the amount of fuel in the main tanks before departure and relied on his fuel gauges, which indicated 2/3-full (left tank) and 1/2-full (right tank). Both wingtip fuel tanks were empty. The pilot departed with the fuel selector on the left main tank. He then switched over to the right main tank while en route, but noticed the needle on the fuel gauge was not moving as the flight progressed. The flight was uneventful and the pilot made an instrument approach into his destination airport; however, he had to execute a missed approach due to low clouds. During the missed approach procedure he entered visual conditions and asked air traffic control (ATC) if he could maintain visual conditions and circle to land. The pilot said that as he was turning crosswind the engine began to run rough and stopped producing power. He tried to re-start the engine twice as he prepared for a forced landing to a closer runway. The pilot did not have time to switch the fuel selector to the left tank and ended up striking trees and landing short of the runway threshold. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The landing gear was also damaged. Neither the left nor right wing fuel tanks were breached. About 20 oz of fuel was drained from the right main tank and about 21 gallons of fuel were drained from the left main tank. Though the pilot said the right fuel gauge was not reading properly, he acknowledged that he should have monitored fuel burn rate over a given period of time versus relying on just the fuel gauge. ## Factual narrative The pilot of the single-engine airplane stated that he departed on a cross country flight but did not visually check the amount of fuel in the main tanks before departure and relied on his fuel gauges, which indicated 2/3-full (left tank) and 1/2-full (right tank). Both wingtip fuel tanks were empty. The pilot departed with the fuel selector on the left main tank. He then switched over to the right main tank while en route, but noticed the needle on the fuel gauge was not moving as the flight progressed. The flight was uneventful and the pilot made an instrument approach into his destination airport; however, he had to execute a missed approach due to low clouds. During the missed approach procedure he entered visual conditions and asked air traffic control (ATC) if he could maintain visual conditions and circle to land. The pilot said that as he was turning crosswind the engine began to run rough and stopped producing power. He tried to re-start the engine twice as he prepared for a forced landing to a closer runway. The pilot did not have time to switch the fuel selector to the left tank and ended up striking trees and landing short of the runway threshold. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The landing gear was also damaged. Neither the left nor right wing fuel tanks were breached. About 20 oz of fuel was drained from the right main tank and about 21 gallons of fuel were drained from the left main tank. Though the pilot said the right fuel gauge was not reading properly, he acknowledged that he should have monitored fuel burn rate over a given period of time versus relying on just the fuel gauge. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N444VT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444VT-2016-10-27), registration cancelled 2016-10-27, S/N CE-1073, built 1985 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH F33A (A) - Registry model: [Beech F33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-f33a) (registry code 1151425) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: CE-1073 - Year built: 1985 - Airframe hours: 3784 - Engines: Continental Motors, Inc IO-550-B5F 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 21, 2015, 41 hours before - Departed: BED, Bedford, MA - Destination: CDW, Caldwell, NJ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: CDW, Essex County, runway 10, 3,719 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 2, 2016; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,100 total, 50 in this make and model, 2,000 as pilot in command, 57 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 1,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.81 inHg - Observed at: CDW ## 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 20160605024269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160605024269A), Jun 5, 2016: Beech F33A, Fairfield, NJ, Substantial damage. Subject aircraft was attempting to land RNAV approach on runway 22 at kcdw, the aircraft had a missed approach to this runway. While requesting to circle and… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 27, 2016, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93302. 2.4 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40441669&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40441670&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - FAA (item 3, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40441671&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation - Steve Berkey (item 4, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40441672&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Steve%20Berkey-Master.PDF - Photos (item 5, .PDF, 2 photos, 496 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40441673&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.