NYC90LA182

NTSB accident investigation · Beech 58P · Chicopee, MA · August 2, 1990

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
August 2, 1990, 07:13 local (11:13 UTC)
Place
Chicopee, MA
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Initial climb
Aircraft
N138PBeech 58P
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report November 9, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19900802033759A
Case key
36705

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

Double power loss due to improper fueling procedures. Factors relating to the accident were: improper pre-flight actions by the pilot and wrong fuel.

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) - nonmechanicalTakeoff - initial climb
Fluid,fuel grade - improperCause
Refueling - improperAirport personnelCause
Inadequate initial trainingAirport personnelFactor
Preflight planning/preparation - improperPilot in commandCause
All engines - loss,totalCause
Abort - performedPilot in command

Analysis

The pilot performed a pre-flight inspection, drained the fuel tank sumps and taxied to the ramp for fuel. The refueler pulled up in a 10,000-gallon truck marked Jet-A and put 50 gallons in each side while the pilot watched. The pilot said that he was not worried because he knew that a jet-fuel truck had been converted to avgas for an airshow that had just taken place, the nozzle fit into the wing and he had restrictors to prevent a jet-fuel nozzle from being placed in the tank, and he thought that the refueler had refueled the airplane before. The pilot stated that he assumed that this was the truck that had been converted to dispense avgas. The pilot taxied for takeoff and did not make a runup because he had already warmed up the engines and completed a runup prior to refueling. He lost power in both engines after getting airborne and landed on the remaining runway. The refueler thought that the Beech Baron was turbine powered. The FAA reported that the fuel nozzle was an improper nozzle installed for overwing refueling and that the 5,000-gallon jet-fuel truck that had been converted to avgas was properly marked and contained avgas.

This narrative was modified on August 18, 2005.

Aircraft

Registration
N138P
Reported as
Beech 58P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
TJ-481
Engine
Continental TSIO-520-WB, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Registered owner
Peter Pan World Travel, Inc.
Departed
CEF
Destination
PTD · Pottsdam, NY
Airport
CEF · Westover Afb

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
42
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Flight hours
5,000 total · 2,050 in this make and model · 4,950 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
20 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
54 °F, dew point 52 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
CEF

FAA reports on this event · 1

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