Saturday, March 30, 2019

Beechcraft 95-B55 (T42A) Baron, N323MT: Accident occurred March 25, 2019 in Clewiston, Hendry County, Florida

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. 

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Miramar, Florida

https://registry.faa.gov/N9725Z

Location: Clewiston, FL
Accident Number: ERA19LA136
Date & Time: 03/25/2019, 1245 EDT
Registration: N323MT
Aircraft: Beech 95B55
Injuries: 2 Minor, 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On March 25, 2019, about 1245 eastern daylight time, a Beech 95B55, N323MT, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Clewiston, Florida. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries, while the second passenger was uninjured. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, about 1130.

The pilot stated that he ordered 30 gallons (15 gallons per side) of fuel to be placed in the airplane's auxiliary fuel tanks the night before the accident. On the day of the accident he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane before starting the engines and taxing to the active runway. The pilot stated he took off with the fuel selector positioned to the main fuel tanks and climbed to 6,000 ft mean sea level (msl) for the estimated 1 hour and 10-minute flight to St Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Saint Petersburg, Florida. When he leveled the airplane at 6,000 ft msl, he set the engine controls for a fuel consumption of 12.5 gph fuel per engine. Shortly after leveling off, he noticed the airplane yawing and looked down to see the left engine's fuel flow at zero and thought that the left engine had lost power. He tried to restart the engine, but was unsuccessful, and contacted air traffic control to request radar vectors to the nearest airport.

Within 5 minutes of the left engine losing power, the right engine began losing power. He tried restarting the engine a few times while feathering and securing the left engine. The pilot stated he could see the airport ahead but didn't feel he had enough altitude in order to glide to the runway and noticed a field to his right. He entered a right base and set up for landing. He feathered the right engine and recalled "pulling all 6 levers back." Once he was sure the airplane would be able to reach the field, he extended the landing gear and placed the electrically-actuated flaps in the down position. After the airplane touched down, the pilot aggressively applied the brakes and noticed the end of the field approaching with an irrigation ditch that ran 90 degrees to the airplane's path. The airplane impacted the ditch and came to rest in a nose down attitude.

A post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane's nose and right engine contacted the ground during the forced landing. The right propeller was separated and found under the right engine. The left propeller remained attached to the engine and was found in the feathered position. The inspector observed all four fuel tanks and found that both of the main tanks were absent of fuel. Both auxiliary tanks contained an undetermined amount of fuel. Both fuel selector valves were positioned to the main fuel tanks.

The NTSB retained the airplane for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Beech
Registration: N323MT
Model/Series: 95B55
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: 3 Bs Aviation LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: APF, 9 ft msl
Observation Time: 1253 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 46 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 28°C / 16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: 
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 200°
Lowest Ceiling:
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.11 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Departure Point: Fort Lauderdale, FL (FXE)
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor, 1 None
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor, 1 None
Latitude, Longitude: 26.323611, -80.943333 (est)

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