Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 402B near Nantucket, MA — 2011-11-29

Final reportERA12IA090
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Date
2011-11-29
Location
Nantucket, MA, USA
Airport
ACK
Aircraft
CESSNA 402B
Registration
N303PJ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The failure of the right main fuel tank transfer pump, which resulted in a total loss of engine power on the right engine during approach due to fuel starvation, and a subsequent hard landing. Contributing to the incident was the pilot's operation of the airplane with a low fuel quantity.

NTSB narrative

The multi-engine airplane was approaching the destination airport with about 7 gallons of fuel remaining in each of the 50-gallon left and right main fuel tanks. While on short final approach to land, as the pilot fully extended the flaps, the airplane experienced a total loss of power on the right engine. The airplane touched down hard on a grassy area about 650 feet before the runway, bounced onto the runway, and came to rest. The pilot subsequently started both engines and taxied to the ramp area uneventfully. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main fuel tank fuel transfer pump was inoperative. The fuel transfer pump was designed to operate continuously when the battery switch was in the on position. The purpose of the fuel transfer pump was to transfer fuel from the nose section of its respective main fuel tank to the fuel pick-up area near the center of the main fuel tank, which permitted steep descents with low main tank fuel quantity. It could not be determined when the fuel transfer pump failed; however, confirming pump operations was a required preflight inspection item for each main fuel tank.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have ensured proper fuel management before approach.

NTSB coding

  • Fuel starvation · Approach-VFR pattern final
  • Planning / Preparation

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 8 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents8

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