On October 6, 1991, a Cessna 320 (registration N4726X) operated by Barker, E. Gerry was involved in an aviation accident near Gadsden, AL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot selected crossfeed on the left fuel selector after the right engine quit, shutting off fuel to the left engine. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot aware of a fuel imbalance chose to fly home for repairs. During approach for refueling, both engines failed, leading to a forced landing. Investigation revealed a defective boost pump and misinstalled crossfeed lines, and the pilot likely exacerbated the issue.
Background
The pilot was aware of a problem with the aircraft's fuel system: fuel from the right main tank would feed faster than from the left main tank. Rather than arranging repairs in Florida, the pilot decided to fly the aircraft to his home in Indiana to have the repairs performed there.
Flight and Engine Failure
While on approach to a refueling stop, the pilot reported that both engines quit simultaneously. A forced landing was subsequently made in a nearby field.
Investigation Findings
Investigation revealed the following:
The left tank boost pump was inoperative.
The fuel system crossfeed lines were incorrectly installed, disabling normal crossfeed.
As a result, fuel from the right main tank was pressure-fed to the left main tank and then overboard, until the right tank was emptied. This caused the right engine to quit.
However, at that point, fuel was still available to the left engine.
Probable Cause Analysis
The safety board determined that, after the right engine quit, the pilot selected crossfeed on the left fuel selector. This action subsequently shut off fuel to the left engine, causing both engines to be inoperative.