Beechcraft 95-B55 (T42A) N30WC

Summary

On 21 December 2012 at about 23:50 local time, a Beechcraft 95-B55 (T42A) registered N30WC, operated by Sean M. Tommervik, was involved in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and 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

21 December 2012 at 23:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Las Cruces International (KLRU)

Coordinates

32.2542, -106.8767

Aircraft

Beechcraft 95-B55 (T42A)

Registration

N30WC

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Sean M. Tommervik

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Teresa → Las Cruces

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA110

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to properly manage the airplane's fuel, which resulted in engine failure due to fuel starvation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said he added 31 gallons of fuel (for a total 0f 70 gallons) prior to departure. The fuel gauges indicated the main tanks were one-half to three-quarters full, with the remainder in the auxiliary tanks. The fuel selectors were on the main tanks. After a short 10-minute flight, the pilot executed an ILS approach in VMC. Ten miles from the runway threshold, the right engine started surging. Fuel flow fluctuated between 28 gph and 2 gph. He advanced the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls and turned on the fuel boost pumps. The airplane yawed and he identified the right engine as having lost power. He feathered the propeller and secured the engine. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost power. The airplane impacted terrain, shearing off the left wing. The right engine was partially separated from the right wing. An FAA inspector examined the wreckage and said the right propeller was not feathered and both fuel selectors were in the auxiliary tank position. The left engine throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were full forward. The right engine throttle and propeller control were only slightly retarded, and the mixture control was in the IDLE CUTOFF position. Both fuel selectors were positioned on the auxiliary tanks, but the fuel gauge selector switch was on the main tanks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.