Cessna 421B N1537T

Summary

On 29 September 2012 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N1537T was involved in an accident near Selma, Alabama, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 September 2012 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Selma, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Craig Field (SEM)

Coordinates

32.2833, -86.9500

Aircraft

Cessna 421B

Registration

N1537T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fairhope → Selma

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA589

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on the right engine and a partial loss of engine power on the left engine 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 stated that he may have unintentionally positioned both the right and left engine fuel selectors to the left main fuel tank during the accident flight. When the right engine experienced a total loss of engine power during cruise flight, the pilot moved its fuel selector to right main fuel tank; however, the pilot did not select the fuel boost pump to "low" per the checklist and as a result, the system may have provided too much fuel to the engine for a restart. The left engine then lost partial power, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a dirt road about 6 miles from the intended destination airport. Both fuel selectors were found positioned to the left main fuel tank, but the pilot also indicated he positioned the left fuel selector to the left auxiliary fuel tank at some point. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main fuel tank had been compromised during the accident sequence; however, there was no evidence of fuel at the accident site. The right auxiliary fuel tank contained about 20 gallons of fuel and the right wing locker fuel tank was empty. The left main fuel tank, left wing locker fuel tank, and left auxiliary fuel tank were intact and did not contain any fuel. Examination of the airplane and both engines did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. Although the airplane was not completely exhausted of fuel, operating with such low quantities would have required precise fuel management and fuel selector positions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.