FTW93LA095

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 65-A90 · Midlothian, TX · March 5, 1993

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
March 5, 1993, 02:00 local (08:00 UTC)
Place
Midlothian, TX
Injuries
5 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N800VTBeech 65-A90
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report October 25, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19930305004339A
Case key
18706

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The loss of engine power and the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the inadvertent stall during the flare touchdown

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanicalCruise - normal
All engines
Fluid,fuel - exhaustionCause
Refueling - not performedPilot in commandCause
Forced landingDescent - emergency
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandFactor

Analysis

During a cross country flight at night the airplane experienced a loss of engine power to both engines while cruising at 6,000 feet. The flight encountered high headwinds along their flight route. Both fuel pumps lights illuminated prior to the loss of power. The pilot identified a local airport with its runway lights illuminated and attempted to land. Touchdown was made 90 degrees from the long axis of the runway. An examination of the airplane revealed 2 pints of fuel in the fuel system. A passenger reported hearing the stall warning horn prior to ground contact. The airplane came to rest about 100 feet from the initial impact point

Factual narrative

On March 5, 1993, at approximately 0200 central standard time a Beech 65 A90, N800VT, was substantially damaged following a forced landing near Midlothian, Texas. The airplane was owned by the Roever Evangelistic Association Incorporated and was on an instrument flight rules flight plan from Crestview, Florida, to Fort Worth, Texas. Neither the commercial pilot, the co pilot or his 3 passengers were injured.

The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that the airplane experienced a dual engine failure following the illumination of the left and right fuel boost pump at approximately 6,000 feet. He also reported that he was in contact with an FAA controller and informed him that he had the runway lights of the Midlothian airport in sight and entered a downwind leg at the Midlothian airport in an attempt to land. The pilot reported that he experienced high head winds enroute from Crestview, Florida, and was forced to fly at a lower altitude than he planned. Prior to departing Crestview the pilot stated that he added 140 gallons to the existing 160 gallons of jet fuel.

An examination of the accident scene by the FAA inspector revealed that the airplane impacted the ground 80 feet short of the runway and 90 degrees perpendicular to the runway intended for landing. The inspector measured the total distance from the initial impact to the final resting place; he determined it had travelled approximately 100 feet. During the impact the left main landing gear collapsed and was separated from the airplane and the right wing sustained damage. A passenger reported that prior to impact with the ground he heard the stall warning horn. The FAA inspector determined that there was no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident scene. An examination of the fuel system by the inspector revealed no usable fuel, however, a total of 2 pints of jet fuel was captured from both fuel supply systems.

The FAA inspector examined the airplane following the recovery and he found no fuel in any fuel cells or associated systems and no anomalies in the functional systems.

Aircraft

Registration
N800VT
Reported as
Beech 65-A90
Category
Airplane
Serial number
LJ-249
Airframe hours
8,375
Engine
P&W PT6-20, 550 horsepower, turbo prop
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Executive/Corporate · Part 91
Operator
Roever Evangelistic
Registered owner
Roever Evangelistic
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · January 20, 1993 · 59 hours before
Departed
CEW · Crestview, FL
Destination
FTW · Fort Worth, TX
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
4T6 · Midlothian, runway 36, 5,000 × 75 ft, concrete

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
49
Certificates
Airline transport, Flight instructor
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Left
Flight hours
5,148 total · 156 in this make and model · 4,566 as pilot in command · 98 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
320° at 12 knots
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
45 °F, dew point 37 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.