Cessna 421C N345JB

Summary

On 30 January 2009 at about 14:10 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N345JB, operated by Fly High Inc, was involved in an accident near Wichita, Kansas, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 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

30 January 2009 at 14:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Wichita, Kansas, United States

Nearest airport

Colonel James Jabara Airport (AAO)

Coordinates

37.7691, -97.2099

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N345JB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Fly High Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wichita → Omaha

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA145

3 people had minor injuries.

The failure of line personnel to ensure that the airplane was serviced with the proper fuel. Contributing to the accident was the Federal Aviation Administration's approval of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) which allowed an improper fuel filler opening, and the complacency in non-standard fueling practices by fixed base operator (FBO) line personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During initial climb, the air transport pilot reported a loss of engine power. Unable to return to a runway, the pilot elected to perform a gear-up forced landing to an open field. The twin-engine airplane was substantially damaged during the landing. A line person employed by the fixed base operator (FBO) incorrectly fueled the airplane with 80 gallons of Jet-A instead of 100LL. Two medium single-engine general aviation airplanes based at the FBO had been modified with turbo-prop engines requiring Jet-A fuel. The two modified airplanes were not required by Supplement Type Certificate to modify the fuel filler opening, allowing the airplane to operate with smaller fuel filler openings,which did not comply with certification regulations. Line personnel at the FBO discovered that by rotating the Jet-A nozzle and dispensing at a reduced pressure, Jet-A fuel could be dispensed without using the adapter. Despite having correctly fueled the accident airplane in the past, the line person mistook the accident airplane for one of the converted airplanes and dispensed Jet-A fuel.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.