Swearingen SA-26AT N20PT

Summary

On 18 March 1994 at about 05:50 local time, a Swearingen SA-26AT registered N20PT was involved in an accident near Winchester, Virginia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 March 1994 at 05:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Winchester, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Winchester Regional (W16)

Coordinates

39.1393, -78.2808

Aircraft

Swearingen SA-26AT

Registration

N20PT

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC94FA064

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM WHICH RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, FOLLOWED BY IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL INFLIGHT AND UNCONTROLLED CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF A REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC CALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM FROM THE MANUFACTURER, AND THE ERRATIC AND INACCURATE FUEL QUANTITY MEASURING SYSTEM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON APP AT NIGHT, IN VMC, THE LEFT ENG LOST PWR DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE PROP WAS NOT FEATHERED, THE L/G WAS LEFT DOWN, AND THE A/C DRIFTED LEFT OF CRS, STRUCK TREES, AND THEN THE GND. ONE GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE RT WING, ENG, & FUEL LINE. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LT WING, ENG & FUEL LINE. THE CO-PILOT SAID THE FUEL QTY SYS WAS ERRATIC WITH THE LT SIDE MORE ERRATIC, AND THE RT SIDE READING ABOUT 10 GAL MORE THAN THE LT SIDE. TESTING FOUND THE RT SIDE INDICATED ABOUT 45 GAL MORE THAN WAS PRESENT WHILE THE LT SIDE WAS INOP. THERE WAS NO REQUIREMENT FOR PERIODIC RECALIBRAION OF THE FUEL QTY SYSTEM. THE OWNER/PILOT HAD OPERATED THE A/C ON 32 FLTS, OVER 23 HRS, AND REFUELED 23 TIMES USING PARTIAL FILLS, SINCE HE HAD FULL TANKS. THE PILOT WAS CHECKED OUT 17 MONTHS PRIOR AND THE INSTR SAID THE PILOT WAS FINE, HOWEVER, HE WAS CAUTIONED HIM TO ENROLL IN RECURRENT TRAINING. THERE WAS NO RECORD HE DID. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED AN FAA CHECKRIDE 19 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHICH HE PASSED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.