Casualties unknown

1996-10-31: Piper PA-31-350 (N120JD) — Mccomb, MS

Mccomb, MS, US

On October 31, 1996, a Piper PA-31-350 (registration N120JD) was involved in an aviation accident near Mccomb, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the lineman's fueling of the aircraft with the wrong type fuel, the pilot's failure to verify the type of fuel added to the aircraft before flight, and failure of the refueling facility to be equipped with the proper fuel nozzle. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot requested 40 gallons of 100LL avgas but was mistakenly fueled with 40 gallons of Jet-A, creating a 50-50 mixture. After signing a receipt indicating Jet-A, the pilot departed. Both engines lost power after takeoff, leading to a forced landing.

Incident Description

The pilot of an aircraft requested that the fuel tanks be filled with 40 gallons of 100LL avgas. Instead, the lineman servicing the aircraft dispensed 40 gallons of Jet-A fuel. This resulted in a total fuel load of approximately 80 gallons, consisting of a roughly 50 percent to 50 percent mixture of avgas and Jet-A.

The pilot signed the fuel receipt, which clearly indicated that Jet-A fuel had been used, and then proceeded to depart. The lineman did not observe the pilot performing a preflight inspection before departure.

Power Loss and Forced Landing

Shortly after takeoff, both engines lost power. The pilot was forced to execute a landing in a field. No further details about the landing or the extent of damage were provided in the source.

Aircraft and Fueling Equipment

The aircraft was equipped with restricted fuel ports designed to prevent misfueling. However, the fuel pump from which aircraft N120JD was fueled was not fitted with the corresponding large-size nozzle intended to preclude such incidents.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001208X06941. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.