# NTSB NYC92FA164: Beech D55, N14WW, Oxford, ME, August 14, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: August 14, 1992, 17:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place: Oxford, ME
- Location: 44.1574° N, 70.4813° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at OXFORD COUNTY RGNL (81B), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.1574&lon=-70.4813&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report May 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 37071
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC92FA164
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37071/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC92FA164

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT AND FUEL TANK SELECTION FOR TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION AND LOSS OF POWER IN BOTH ENGINES DURING TAKEOFF.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb
  - all engines
  - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - fluid,fuel - starvation (cause)
  - fuel tank selector position - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command
- Forced landing, landing
- In flight collision with object, landing
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

THE PILOT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 33.  AFTER LIFTOFF, THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT, FOLLOWED SHORTLY BY THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN AREA WITH TREES.  AN EXAM REVEALED THE FUEL TANK SELECTORS WERE IN THE AUXILIARY (AUX) POSITIONS.  NO FUEL LEAKS WERE DETECTED IN THE AUX TANKS.  THE LEFT AUX TANK HAD 4 GALLONS OF FUEL REMAINING, AND THE RIGHT AUX TANK HAD 5 GALLONS REMAINING.  THOUGH DAMAGED, 1 GALLON OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK; THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WAS EMPTY.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 15 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE LEFT MAIN TANK BEFORE IT BEGAN TO LEAK; NO TEST OF THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WAS MADE SINCE ITS BLADDER WAS RUPTURED.  THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK REQUIRED THAT FOR TAKEOFF, THE MAIN FUEL TANKS BE SELECTED AND THAT EACH MAIN TANK HAVE A MINIMUM OF 13 GALLONS OF FUEL.  AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BOTH ENGINES WERE STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, USING THE FUEL IN THE TANKS.  THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 30 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N14WW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N14WW-2011-07-08), registration cancelled 2011-07-08, S/N TE-593, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D55
- Registry model: [Beech D55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d55) (registry code 1152730) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TE-593
- Airframe hours: 4100
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-C 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Larsen Aircraft Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, August 4, 1992, 6 hours before
- Destination: LWM, LAWRENCE, MA
- Airport: 81B, Oxford County Regional, runway 33, 3,000 × 75 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,600 total, 30 in this make and model, 1,800 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,100 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 55 °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 19920814031359A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920814031359A), Aug 14, 1992: Beech D55, Oxford, ME, Substantial damage. Lost both engines on climbout. Failed to secure or raise gear. Fuel on aux tanks. Low fuel in mains. Struck trees.

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.

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