NYC95LA098

The 14 CFR part 135 cargo flight was planned for 1 hour duration. The pilot-in-command (PIC) and second-in-command (SIC) had flown five legs prior to the accident leg. The PIC did a walk around and visual inspection of the airplane, while the SIC loaded the cargo. The crew stated the fuel gauges indicated about half full. About 45 minutes into the night IMC flight, the left engine 'sputtered.' The PIC attempted various fuel tank and cross feed selections for the left and right engines. During these selections, the right and left engines completely lost power. The PIC declared an emergency and was provided a radar vector to the airport. The airplane descended clear of the clouds about 3 miles from the airport. Unable to glide to the airport, the PIC performed a gear-up landing in an open field. Examination revealed the right wing fuel drain had broken off during impact. No useable fuel was drained from the left or right fuel tanks. About 1 ounce of fuel was drained from each engine fuel system.

On May 2, 1995, at 0425 eastern daylight time, a Beech 58, N4575S, operated by U.S. Check, Columbus, Ohio, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to an open field near the Port Columbus International Airport (CMH), Columbus, Ohio. The airline transport rated pilot-in-command (PIC) and the commercial rated second-in-command (SIC) received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated at the Allegheny County Airport, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the cargo flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 135.

The flight crew had flown five legs that evening, prior to the accident leg to CMH. The planned flight time to CMH was about 1 hour.

In the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, the PIC stated that while the SIC loaded the cargo, he performed a walk around and visual inspection of the airplane. The PIC then boarded the airplane and verified the fuel quantity by checking the gauges. The SIC stated that both the left and right fuel gauges indicated about half full.

The PIC said that the takeoff and climb were uneventful. After they leveled off at 4,000 feet, he set the fuel flow of both engines to 18 gallons per hour.

During radar vectors for an instrument approach to CMH, while in night IMC conditions, the PIC stated that the left engine "sputtered." He further stated:

I turned the left boost pump on and switched the left fuel selector to X-feed. The right engine at this point lost power. I turned the right boost pump on and moved all of the mixture, propeller and throttle levers to full. I turned the left fuel selector to main tank and the right fuel selector to X-feed. The left engine started to surge, but the right engine still did not produce any power...I switched the right back to main. The fuel gauges were reading: left bouncing above the yellow arc, and the right gauge was reading just below half tanks. I declared a fuel emergency...and requested direct to the field...we were loosing altitude rapidly. We broke out at 2,200 feet MSL and were approximately 3 miles southwest of the field...we did not have sufficient altitude to glide to the airport...We ended up in a field approximately 2 miles southwest of the field [CMH].

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector's statement, examination of the wreckage revealed 1 ounce of fuel was present in each of the left and right engine fuel lines. No fuel was removed from the right engine fuel injection system, and about 1 teaspoon of fuel was removed from the left.

The right wing inboard fuel drain was broken, and an undetermined amount of fuel had leaked out. The left wing inboard fuel drain was intact, and the fuel cell contained approximately 1 cup of fuel. Examination of the left and right wing fuel strainers revealed that they each contained about 1 ounce of fuel, and were absent of water and foreign particulates.

When the batteries were energized, the left fuel gauge indicated between zero and 1/4, and the right gauge indicated zero. The Inspector stated that the left fuel indicator was erratic when the outer wing skin was tapped in the vicinity of the fuel quantity transmitter. The left wing fuel quantity transmitters were removed from the airplane and inspected. Both worked in unison and operated correctly.