Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Irving, Texas
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N18925
Location: Weatherford, TX
Accident Number: CEN17LA179
Date & Time: 05/08/2017, 1000 CDT
Registration: N18925
Aircraft: BEECH 19
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Fuel starvation
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On May 8, 2017 about 0925 central daylight time, a Beech B19, N18925, experienced a partial loss of engine power and impacted terrain during a forced landing near Granbury, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and a student pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by Hyde Flight School under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Granbury Regional Airport, Granbury, Texas about 0845.
The flight instructor stated that there were no airplane discrepancies after its preflight. The fuel level in the left and right fuel tanks was visually checked and was "slightly above the bottom tabs, which meant there was 30 gallons of fuel on board" (The aircraft type certificate data sheet stated that the useable fuel per fuel tank was 29.4 gallons). The student pilot stated that the airplane runup and takeoff were performed with the fuel selector positioned to the left fuel tank. The flight instructor stated that after about 30 minutes of airwork, the fuel boost pump was selected on, and the fuel tank selector was positioned to the right fuel tank. The flight instructor said that he visually checked the fuel selector was against the right detent. The student pilot "glanced" at the fuel gauges, which indicated that the left fuel tank gauge was "just above half" a tank, and the right fuel tank gauge indicated "slightly higher" than half a tank. The flight instructor stated that the boost pump remained on for the next maneuver, which was a simulated forced landing. He said that for the maneuver, the student pilot turned the carburetor heat on, reduced throttle to idle, and flew a best glide airspeed beginning from 3,000 feet mean sea level. At 2,000 feet mean sea level, the flight instructor told the student pilot to abort the maneuver because the airplane was not going to attain the intended landing field. When the student pilot advanced the throttle control forward and turned the carburetor heat off, there was no response from the engine, which remained at idle power. The flight instructor said he cycled the throttle control and turned the carburetor heat on. He told the student pilot to check the magnetos and turn the ignition to the start position. Engine power was not restored, and the flight instructor performed a forced landing during which the airplane struck trees at an airspeed near aerodynamic stall.
Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector from the North Texas Flight Standards District Office revealed the fuel selector was positioned to the left fuel tank. There was no useable fuel in the left fuel tank, and the right fuel tank contained about 14 gallons of fuel.
Post-accident examination of the engine (Lycoming O-320-D3G, serial number L10175-39A) revealed that the throttle and mixture controls from the cockpit to the carburetor were attached and secure. There was no fuel in the fuel lines, which were attached, secure, and unbroken from the firewall to the carburetor. The engine exhibited compression in all cylinders and engine continuity of valve and drive trains was confirmed during hand rotation of the engine. Electrical continuity from the magnetos through the ignition system was confirmed. Engine timing was checked and confirmed to be within the engine manufacturer's specifications. The fuel quantity transmitters were not tested due to concern of fire if electrical power was placed on the airplane for the test.
A fuel receipt showed that the airplane was last fueled on May 6, 2017 with 15.15 gallons of fuel. According to the FAA inspector, the operator stated the airplane flew two flights with a total flight time of 2.7 hours after the last fuel purchase. There was no fuel purchase for the airplane on the day of the accident.
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 68, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 2 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 01/09/2017
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/20/2016
Flight Time: 6575 hours (Total, all aircraft), 66 hours (Total, this make and model), 6480 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 105 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 44 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 1 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Student
Age: 34, Male
Airplane Rating(s): None
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 Without Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 04/21/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent:
Flight Time: 6 hours (Total, all aircraft), 6 hours (Total, this make and model), 6 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 4 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: BEECH
Registration: N18925
Model/Series: 19
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1977
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal; Utility
Serial Number: MB-872
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines:
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer:
ELT:
Engine Model/Series:
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power:
Operator: Hyde Flight School
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: GDJ, 778 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 12 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1015 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 145°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 2200 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 12 knots / 15 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: / None
Wind Direction: 140°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.04 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 23°C / 16°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Granbury, TX (GDJ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Weatherford, TX
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0845 CDT
Type of Airspace: Class E; Class G
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: 32.634722, 97.913889 (est)
NTSB Identification: CEN17LA179
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, May 08, 2017 in Weatherford, TX
Aircraft: BEECH 19, registration: N18925
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 May 8, 2017 about 1000 central daylight time, a Beech B19, N18925, impacted terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Granbury, Texas. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight instructor and student pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was registered to an individual and operated by Hyde Flight School under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as an instructional flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from Granbury Regional Airport, Granbury, Texas at time unknown.
What a thorough instructor, willing to demonstrate dramatically the importance of dip-sticking the tanks every time! And by demonstrating so early in the student pilot's career, I expect that lesson will last a lifetime, which fortunately continues on and didn't end in the trees May 24,2017.
ReplyDeleteThe instructor, I suspect, will be presented by multiple authorities with many certificates of recognition for his unconventional but very effective style.
Glad they both survived.