Cessna 207 N29CF

Summary

On 1 August 2003 at about 04:13 local time, a Cessna 207 registered N29CF was involved in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 2003 at 04:13

Classification

Accident

Location

Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Merrill Field (PAMR)

Coordinates

61.2000, -149.8333

Aircraft

Cessna 207

Registration

N29CF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Beluga → Anchorage

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC03LA085

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's incorrect positioning of the fuel tank selector valve to a nearly empty tank, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation, and subsequent emergency landing at an off-airport site. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, and his inadequate remedial action.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was conducting an on-demand passenger flight with three passengers aboard. As the airplane approached the destination airport, about 800 feet agl over a city, the engine began to run rough and lose power. In an attempt to restore engine power, the pilot confirmed that the fuel selector valve was placed to the right fuel tank, and momentarily placed the auxiliary fuel boost pump in the high boost position. Engine power was momentarily restored, followed by a complete loss of power. The pilot selected a forced landing area adjacent to several baseball fields. During the forced landing approach, the airplane passed over four occupied baseball fields. During touchdown, the airplane's left wing collided with a chain link fence, the airplane veered to the left, collided with a concrete embankment, and cart wheeled to the left. During an on scene interview the pilot reported that he routinely flew the accident route using only the right fuel tank. He said that fuel stored in the left fuel tank was considered a reserve tank. Another pilot had flown the accident airplane prior to the accident flight, and usually, when an airplane returned to the operator's base, line service personnel would routinely fill the right fuel tank, to be ready for the next flight. Prior to departing on the outbound leg of the flight, the pilot said that he did not visually check the fuel quantity in the right wing fuel tank, and that the entire round trip flight was flown with the fuel selector valve selected to the right fuel tank. When asked if he attempted to switch the fuel selector valve from the right fuel tank to the left tank, the accident pilot responded "no." During wreckage recovery efforts, and in the presence of the NTSB IIC, about 0.8 gallons of fuel was drained from the right wing-mounted fuel tank, and associated fuel lines. About 30 gallons of fuel were drained from the left wing-mounted fuel tank. The tanks were not damaged during the accident and did not leak.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.