On February 3, 2001, a British Aerospace HS.125-700A (registration N190WC) was involved in an aviation accident near New Orleans, LA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot-in-command's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a flight with a blocked fuel tank vent. A contributing factor was maintenance personnel's failure to remove the tape covering the fuel tank vent following a pressure test. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A flight over Lake Pontchartrain experienced a loud bang, later found to be caused by duct tape blocking the left wing fuel vent, resulting in a collapsed fuel tank and structural damage to wing components.
Incident Summary
The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported that while flying at 4,000 feet mean sea level over Lake Pontchartrain, the flight crew heard a bang. Believing they had struck a bird, they continued and landed uneventfully at New Orleans.
Damage Details
A post-flight examination of the left wing revealed that the fuel vent was blocked with duct tape. The wet wing fuel tank had collapsed, and the fuel tank stringers and wing ribs sustained structural damage.
Pilot and Mechanic Statements
The PIC stated that the fuel tanks had been repaired and pressure tested prior to the flight. After the pressure test, the mechanic who performed the repair removed the tape from the right wing's fuel vent. However, both the mechanic and the flight crew failed to notice the duct tape still covering the left wing's fuel vent. The flight crew noted that no streamers or markers were present to indicate that the fuel tank vent was covered with duct tape.