14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, September 29, 2012 in Selma, AL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/12/2013
Aircraft: CESSNA 421B, registration: N1537T
Injuries: 4 Uninjured.
NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot stated that he may have unintentionally positioned both the right and left engine fuel selectors to the left main fuel tank during the accident flight. When the right engine experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, the pilot moved its fuel selector to right main fuel tank; however, the pilot did not select the fuel boost pump to "low" per the checklist and as a result, the system may have provided too much fuel to the engine for a restart. The left engine then lost partial power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a dirt road about 6 miles from the intended destination airport. Both fuel selectors were found positioned to the left main fuel tank, but the pilot also indicated he positioned the left fuel selector to the left auxiliary fuel tank at some point.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main fuel tank had been compromised during the accident sequence; however, there was no evidence of fuel at the accident site. The right auxiliary fuel tank contained about 20 gallons of fuel and the right wing locker fuel tank was empty. The left main fuel tank, left wing locker fuel tank, and left auxiliary fuel tank were intact and did not contain any fuel.
Examination of the airplane and both engines did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Although the airplane was not completely exhausted of fuel, operating with such low quantities would have required precise fuel management and fuel selector positions.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on the right engine and a partial loss of engine power on the left engine due to fuel starvation.
On September 29, 2012, about 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N1537T, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing on a dirt road after the total loss of power on the right engine and a partial loss of power on the left engine. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed H. L. Sonny Callahan Airport, Fairhope, Alabama (CQF); destined for Craig Field Airport, Selma, Alabama, (SEM).
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the pilot stated that he departed CQF en route to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a football game. He added, "We were early for the game and decided to stop at SEM for lunch, cheap gas, and a little sight-seeing on the way." Ten minutes after departing CQF, the pilot stated that he switched from the left and right main tanks to supplying the left engine via the left auxiliary tank and the right engine via the right auxiliary tank. The pilot stated that while en route to SEM and in a descent from 4500 feet mean sea level (msl), the right engine started to "cough and lose power." He further stated that the right engine quit due to fuel starvation and he switched the right fuel selector valve to the right main tank and also said "I might have put the right fuel selector valve in the left main position." The pilot was unable to restart the right engine and elected to feather the right propeller. The pilot then stated that about 2 minutes later, the left engine began to "cough and lose power rapidly." The pilot recalled to the FAA inspector that both fuel selector valves should have been on left main tank; however, in his statement to an NTSB investigator, the pilot reported that his last action was to place the left fuel selector in the left auxiliary position. The airplane continued under partial power on the left engine for about 6 minutes, when the pilot realized that the airplane had descended down to 800 feet msl. At 600 feet msl, and 6 miles south of SEM, the pilot announced to the passengers that they would not reach the destination airport and selected a forced landing site. The pilot stated "at this time, I checked my boost pumps and put the left fuel selector back to the left auxiliary tank." The airplane touched down on a dirt road, crossed a bridge, clipped a tree, and came to rest in cotton field.
Postaccident examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the right wing main tank, right aileron, and buckling on the right lower wing aft spar area, about 2 feet out from the fuselage and 4 feet inboard of the wing tip. The FAA inspector noted that no fuel fumes, fuel leakage or fuel pooling was indicated where the plane came to rest. A visual examination of the left main tank, left auxiliary tank, and left wing locker tank indicated no visible fuel in all three tanks. A visual inspection of the right wing locker tank was zero, the right main tank was destroyed, and the right auxiliary tank indicated about 20 gallons.
Further examination and assessment of damage to the airplane by the FAA noted that the left and right fuel selector switches for both engines were in the left main tank detent. Battery power was applied to the airplane and the fuel system was configured so that the right fuel system would supply the right engine. After doing so, the right engine received good flow and a clean fuel sample. The fuel system was then configured for the left tanks to supply the left engine. The left engine was not receiving fuel for a sample. The inspector then crossfed the right side fuel system to supply the left engine and a clean sample was obtained. Both engines were inspected by the FAA with no anomalies or preflight conditions that would have precluded normal operations.
According to the pilot's written statement, on a previous day the airplane had 110 gallons of fuel onboard at last takeoff from CQF and 167 gallons on departure from SEM. According to the FAA inspector, no fuel was purchased at CQF or SEM on that day, from an airplane with the same registration as the accident aircraft. The last fuel receipt found for the airplane was from SEM on August 23, 2012, where 142 gallons was purchased, however; no cash or credit receipt was obtained by the FAA or NTSB. The pilot stated that on departure from CQF on the day of the accident, "my fuel gauges read the following: right main 28 gallons ,left main 31 gallons, right auxiliary around 20 gallons, and the left auxiliary about the same. Locker tanks 8 gallons and 0."
According to the Cessna model 421 owner's manual, the airplane should be operated via main tank fuel supply during takeoff, landing, and all normal operations. When fuel selector valve handles are changed from one position to another, the auxiliary fuel pumps should be switched to low, the mixture to full rich, and the pilot should feel for the detent to insure that the fuel selector valves are properly positioned.
http://registry.faa.gov/N1537T
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 1537T Make/Model: C421 Description: 421, Golden Eagle, Executive Commuter
Date: 09/29/2012 Time: 1854
Event Type: Incident Highest Injury: None Mid Air: N Missing: N
Damage: Unknown
LOCATION
City: SELMA State: AL Country: US
DESCRIPTION
AIRCRAFT FORCE LANDED ON A DIRT ROAD, NEAR SELMA, AL
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 0
# Crew: 1 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 2 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
OTHER DATA
Activity: Unknown Phase: Landing Operation: OTHER
FAA FSDO: BIRMINGHAM, AL (SO09) Entry date: 10/01/2012
SELMA, AL (WSFA) - Need more proof that football is a way of life in the South? For die-hard fans flying to see the defending national champion Crimson Tide take on Ole Miss, not even a failed engine and a crashed landing would stop their journey.
The pilot and one passenger spoke with WPMI-TV in Mobile Tuesday and filled in some of the details of what happened. Four men headed out from the Mobile area on a trip to Tuscaloosa over the weekend. It was there where they were going to enjoy the SEC home opening game between the Tide and Ole Miss.
On-board the plane was John White-Spunner, an Auburn grad, who's well know for the construction company he operates under the same name. His 'Bama friends convinced him to go along for the trip, and he hopped aboard.
Along the way, the men decided they wanted to land in Selma for some BBQ.
White-Spunner told WPMI that the trip into Selma was where things went south. An engine went out. Moments later, the other engine started to die. The plane was going down. More than 20 miles out from Craig Field in Selma, the football fans prepared themselves for a crash landing. White-Spunner told WPMI they were "getting ready, probably [going to] die..."
The plane's pilot, Capt. George Arnold, said White-Spunner pointed out a dirt road as the plane edged downward. Both wings hit the trees as the plane lost altitude, still traveling at about 100 mph. Arnold managed to sit the aircraft down in a cotton field, only to learn of a new danger very quickly. Fuel was pouring out of the craft.
Ultimately, the football fans made it out of the plane unscathed. They knelt down and "got in a circle and got on our knees and said a prayer to Jesus," Capt. Arnold said.
A family nearby heard the plane go down and drove toward the crash expecting the worst. They found four football fans who were ready to continue their journey. The game didn't start until 8:30pm, so there was still time to make it to T-Town.
The men made the trek to Montgomery where they found a rental car company. A trip started by plane ended with a long car-drive into Crimson territory. The men made it to their game, and enjoyed the big win put up by the Tide.
Meanwhile, the Dallas County Sheriff's Department scratched its head. When authorities arrived on the scene to investigate the plane's discovery there were no people around. The Sheriff's Office said the plane did not appear to be damaged.
The Federal Aviation Administration took over the investigation as was planning to retrieve the plane Tuesday.
http://selma.wsfa.com
SELMA, AL (WSFA) - Need more proof that football is a way of life in the South? For die-hard fans flying to see the defending national champion Crimson Tide take on Ole Miss, not even a failed engine would stop their journey.
The pilot, from the Mobile area, said one of the two engines on his Cessna 421 failed and he tried to land at Craig Field in Selma. He didn't quite make it, however, instead putting the plane down in a cotton field "nearby".
Time to call for help? No. There's a game to be seen!
The pilot, whose name is not available at this time, and an unknown number of passengers exited the cotton field and hitched a ride to Montgomery. It was then that they found a rental car and drove on to Tuscaloosa for the game.
The Dallas County Sheriff's Department said when authorities arrived on the scene to investigate the plane's discovery there were no people around. The Sheriff's Office said the plane did not appear to be damaged.
The Federal Aviation Administration has now taken over the investigation and plans to retrieve the plane sometime Tuesday.
