Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Charlotte, South Carolina
Continental Motors; Mobile, Alabama
Textron; Kansas City, Kansas
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
Location: Greenwood, SC
Accident Number: ERA17LA235
Date & Time: 07/07/2017, 0735 EDT
Registration: N337J
Aircraft: CESSNA T337
Aircraft Damage:Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel exhaustion
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On July 7, 2017, about 0735 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T337D, N337J, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Greenwood County Airport (GRD), Greenwood, South Carolina. The flight instructor and a private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The flight instructor stated that the purpose of the flight was for the single-engine rated private pilot (student) to become familiar with the accident airplane as he worked toward an instrument rating. The private pilot performed the preflight inspection with no anomalies noted. The flight instructor stated that their inspection of the fuel tanks revealed that they were ¾ full, which they verified on the airplane's fuel gauges. The student stated that during the preflight inspection they did not visually check the fuel tanks but noted that the fuel gages read between ½ and ¾ full. The engine run-up was normal and they departed from runway 27.
After departure, they practiced maneuvers uneventfully for about 30 minutes and then performed one aerodynamic stall. After practicing the stall, the front engine started to surge from high power to low power and then lost all power. The flight instructor told the pilot to turn back to the airport and fly to the runway while he looked in the emergency checklist for the engine-out procedure. The rear engine was still operating normally at the time. The flight instructor turned the fuel boost pump on, switched the fuel tank from main to auxiliary, and then back to main in an attempt to restore power to the front engine, to no avail. He recalled that sometime during the flight back to the airport, the rear engine also experienced a total loss of power. The airplane was too low to reach the runway, and the pilot transferred control to the flight instructor, who performed a forced landing into trees.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest on its right side. The right wing separated from the fuselage and was found inverted on the fuselage. The left wing and strut were still attached to the fuselage. A fuel sample was taken from the left wing auxiliary sump and found to be blue in color and absent of visible debris. The right-wing fuel tanks were not accessible. The salvage crew that removed the airplane from the accident site, stated to the FAA inspector that they removed 6 gallons of fuel in the left wing and no fuel was in the right wing. The FAA inspector further stated there was no smell of fuel at the accident site. Both wings had impact marks consistent with hitting trees. The front and rear engine propellers did not exhibit rotational scoring. The landing gear were extended.
Examination of both engines revealed evidence of any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The four-main fuel tank fuel quantity sender units were removed and tested with an ohm meter. In the empty position, the left outboard fuel sender had a resistance valve equal to an approximately half-full reading. The left and right inboard fuel senders had a resistance valve equal to an approximately full tank reading. The right outboard fuel sender unit displayed inconsistent resistance readings throughout its range of travel.
The airplane was equipped with a main fuel tank in each wing and an auxiliary fuel tank in each wing, which combined held a total of 131 gallons of fuel, with 128 gallons of useable fuel, and 3 gallons of unusable fuel. Each main fuel tank was comprised of two metal tanks, one outboard of the other, connected with hoses. Fuel automatically flowed from the outboard tank to the inboard tank through the hoses via gravity.
Each main fuel tank was equipped with two float-type fuel level sender units, one in the outboard tank and one in the inboard tank. The two sender units were connected electrically in parallel to a fuel quantity gage in the cockpit.
On November 29, 1999, the airframe manufacturer released mandatory Service Bulletin MEB99-21, which was applicable several models of airplane including the accident airplane . The purpose of the service bulletin was, "To inspect the Stewart Warner manufactured fuel quantity indicating system for verification that each fuel tank quantity gauge indicates empty when the fuel tank contains only unusable fuel and indicates full when the fuel tank is full." The service bulletin dictated that an initial inspection be completed within 100 hours of operation or 12 months, whichever occurred first, and should subsequent reoccur every 12 months.
The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on February 24, 2017 at 2,591 total airframe flight hours. Review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed no evidence that MEB99-21 had been complied with.
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Airline Transport; Flight Instructor
Age: 42, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 05/25/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 06/21/2017
Flight Time: (Estimated) 9472 hours (Total, all aircraft), 8.4 hours (Total, this make and model), 7932 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 34 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 18 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Pilot Information
Certificate:Private
Age: 22, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 1 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/24/2014
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 08/06/2016
Flight Time: (Estimated) 61.9 hours (Total, all aircraft), 0 hours (Total, this make and model), 31.9 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: CESSNA
Registration: N337J
Model/Series: T337 D
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1968
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 337-1017
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 6
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 02/24/2017, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 4400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 2591.2 Hours as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Continental
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-360
Registered Owner: On file
Rated Power: 300 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KGRD, 631 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 1 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0735 EDT
Direction from Accident Site: 266°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 250°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.06 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 20°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Greenwood, SC (GRD)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Greenwood, SC (GRD)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0700 EDT
Type of Airspace: Class E
Airport Information
Airport: GREENWOOD COUNTY (GRD)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 631 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 27
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 5001 ft / 100 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude: 34.250000, -82.143611 (est)
NTSB Identification: ERA17LA235
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, July 07, 2017 in Greenwood, SC
Aircraft: CESSNA T337, registration: N337J
Injuries: 2 Minor.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.
On July 7, 2017, about 0735 eastern daylight time, a Cessna T337D, N337J, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Greenwood County Airport (GRD), Greenwood, South Carolina. The flight instructor and a private pilot sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the flight instructor, their intention was to fly the airplane around the local area to get the private pilot familiar with a multiengine airplane. The private pilot performed the preflight checklist with no anomalies noted, and the main fuel tank was three-quarters full. The engine run-up was normal and they departed from runway 27. After departure, they flew outside of the airport traffic pattern to get the private pilot comfortable at the controls, then they returned to the airport and performed three touch-and-go landings. After the third touch-and-go landing, they departed the traffic pattern again and practiced some steep turns and performed one aerodynamic stall. After the practicing the stall, the front engine started to surge from high power to low power and then lost all power. The flight instructor told the private pilot to turn back to the airport and fly to the runway while he looked in the emergency checklist for the engine-out procedure. The rear engine was still operating normally at the time. The flight instructor turned the boost pump on, switched the fuel tank from main to auxiliary, and then back to main when the front engine did not restart. He recalled that sometime during the flight back to the airport, the rear engine also experienced a total loss of power. The airplane was too low to reach the runway, and the private pilot transferred control to the flight instructor, who performed a forced landing into the trees.
Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest on its right side. The right wing separated from the fuselage and was found inverted on the fuselage. The left wing and strut were still attached to the fuselage. Both wings had impact marks consistent with hitting trees. The front and rear engine propellers did not exhibit rotational scoring. The landing gear was down and locked.
The airplane was retained for further examination.
Two people sustained non life-threatening injuries Friday morning after the airplane they were traveling in crashed on approach to the Greenwood County Airport.
It happened just before 7:30 a.m. in the area of Airport and Bucklevel roads near Leath Correctional Institution.
A Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman said the 1968 Cessna T337D Turbo Skymaster was preparing to land at the time, and federal officials will further investigate, the FAA said.
The plane is registered to John Lumley of Greenwood, a relative confirmed to the Index-Journal. Lumley was not in the aircraft at the time of the incident.
During a Friday morning press conference at the airport, Greenwood County Sheriff Dennis Kelly said emergency responders were on scene within 7 minutes.
“Our first reaction was to check on all occupants and get this assistance if they needed it,” Kelly said. “We had a lot of officers, EMS and firefighters respond to the scene.”
The passenger and pilot were transported to Self Regional Medical Center.
Kelly said officials didn’t know where the plane was coming from, and did not cause a fire when it crash landed.
The crash also had no impact on business either at the airport or prison, Kelly said.
“It didn’t interfere with any of the operations,” he said.
According to an FAA database, Friday marked the ninth airplane crash in Greenwood County since 1978, and the first since June 2012.
http://www.indexjournal.com
GREENWOOD COUNTY, S.C. — Two people were injured when a small plane crashed Friday morning in Greenwood County.
The plane went down about 7:30 a.m. in a wooded area near the end of the runway at the Greenwood County airport on Terminal Road, according to Greenwood County officials.
The Federal Aviation Administration will investigate the crash.
The people injured were taken to Self Regional Healthcare.
http://www.wyff4.com
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