Short Brothers SC7 N10DA

Summary

On 17 September 1996 at about 03:00 local time, a Short Brothers SC7 registered N10DA, operated by North Star Air Cargo, Inc, was involved in an accident near Findlay Twnshp, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 1996 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Findlay Twnshp, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

40.5092, -80.3406

Aircraft

Short Brothers SC7

Registration

N10DA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

North Star Air Cargo, Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clarksburg → Pittsburgh

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD96FA147

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue to his destination when known en route delays were encountered which resulted in fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had flown this route in make and model airplane for nearly 4 years. He calculated 900 pounds of fuel were required for the flight, and saw 956 pounds on the fuel totalizer. The pilot was told by the ground controller of weather delays to his destination that ranged up to 2.5 hours. En route he was issued holding instructions with an EFC of 50 minutes later. After released from holding, 52 minutes after takeoff, the pilot was told that he was being vectored for a 35 mile final approach. The pilot then told the controller that he was fuel critical and the controller vectored him ahead of other airplanes. Ten minutes later, 84 minutes after takeoff, the controller asked his fuel status, and the pilot responded 'pretty low, seems like I'm losing oil pressure.' The pilot then advised the controller, 85 minutes after takeoff, that he shut down the right engine. He then declared an emergency and advised that he was not going to make the airport. Examination of the wreckage revealed the fuel tanks were intact, the fuel caps were secured, and the amount of fuel recovered from both tanks was 1.5 gallons, which was less than the specified unusable quantity. Company records showed that similar flights took about 48 minutes, and the airplane's average fuel flow was 580 pounds per hour.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.