Beechcraft BE-55 N777K

Summary

On 9 June 2000 at about 02:35 local time, a Beechcraft BE-55 registered N777K, operated by John Farrell, was involved in an accident near Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 June 2000 at 02:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Erie, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Erie International (ERI)

Coordinates

42.1198, -80.0795

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-55

Registration

N777K

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

John Farrell

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dunkirk → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD00LA049

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of power to both engines. A factor was the pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning and takeoff with inadequate fuel for the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot flew the twin engine airplane from Erie, Pennsylvania, to Concord, North Carolina, to Dunkirk, New York. Prior to departure from Dunkirk, the pilot declined fuel servicing, and did not visually check the fuel tanks. The pilot stated that when the engines were started the left fuel indicator was between the top of the 'empty' white arc and 1/4 tank, and the right fuel indicator was between 1/4 and 1/2 tank. After a 25 minute flight, while on a straight in approach to Erie, the pilot noticed that the left fuel indicator was in the white arc and prepared for an engine failure. The pilot turned the right fuel selector handle one turn to the left in an attempt to cross-feed fuel from the right tank to both engines. Shortly thereafter, the pilot felt an engine problem and pushed all the controls full forward; however, he did not remember exactly what happened after that point. The airplane descended through trees and came to rest between two buildings. According to a fuel placard, when the right fuel selector handle was turned one click to the left, the selector was in the cross-feed mode, which allowed fuel from the left tank to cross-feed to the right engine. Another fuel placard said, 'Do not take-off if fuel quantity indication gauges indicate in yellow arc or with less than 13 gallons in each wing system.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.