Cessna 208B N746FE

Summary

On 12 January 1995 at about 01:05 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N746FE, operated by Empire Airlines, Inc., was involved in an accident near Flagstaff, Arizona, 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

12 January 1995 at 01:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Flagstaff, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Flagstaff Pulliam (FLG)

Coordinates

35.2295, -111.7210

Aircraft

Cessna 208B

Registration

N746FE

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Empire Airlines, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX95FA076

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to properly configure the aircraft fuel system prior to takeoff, and his failure maintain an adequate terrain clearance altitude while maneuvering to return to the airport. Factors in the accident were the dark night lighting conditions, low ceilings, restricted visibility conditions, and the pilot's diverted attention which resulted from activation of the airplane's fuel selector warning horn system.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS LOCATED NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY SAW THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY CLIMB IN A NORMAL MANNER, THEN STAY BELOW THE CLOUDS AND MAKE A SHALLOW BANK 180-DEGREE LEFT TURN AND DESCEND BELOW A TREE LINE. TOWER TAPES REVEALED THAT THE PILOT TWICE TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS "COMING BACK" TO THE AIRPORT DURING WHICH THE BACKGROUND SOUND OF THE "FUEL SELECTOR OFF" WARNING HORN WAS HEARD. THE PILOT THEN INFORMED THE CONTROLLER "I'VE GOT TO GET BACK", AND NO WARNING HORN WAS HEARD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CAME TO REST ABOUT 6,500 FEET SSE OF THE RUNWAY'S END. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE AIRPLANE WAS REFUELED WITH 40 GALS OF JET A (20 GALS PER TANK), WHICH INCREASED THE TOTAL FUEL LOAD TO 148 GALS. THE FLIGHT MANUAL REQUIRED THAT THE FUEL BALANCE BETWEEN THE LEFT AND RIGHT TANKS BE KEPT WITHIN 200 POUNDS, AND SUGGESTED TURNING OFF ONE FUEL SELECTOR TO CORRECT UNBALANCE SITUATIONS. THE CONDITION OF ONE FUEL SELECTOR TURNED OFF WILL CAUSE THE "FUEL SELECTOR OFF" WARNING HORN TO SOUND. EXAM OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURES. PROP BLADE BUTT SIGNATURES INDICATED IT WAS OPERATING IN THE GOVERNING RANGE, AND ENGINE POWER WAS BEING PRODUCED AT IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.