Accident Details
On July 10, 2014, about 1150 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft C24R, registration N6222Q, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Titusville, Florida. The commercial pilot and a passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which had departed Space Coast Regional Airport (TIX) at 1042. The flight was conducted under Part 91 of the Federal Aviation Regulations.
Pilot Actions
According to written statements from the pilot and passenger, the purpose of the flight was to test recently serviced avionics and the autopilot system. After an uneventful departure, the pilot changed the fuel selector from the left tank to the right tank and flew north along the coast for about 30 minutes. He then made a 180-degree turn to the south and switched the fuel selector back to the left tank. Shortly thereafter, the pilot momentarily detected an odor of fuel; the passenger did not, and no abnormal engine indications were noted. After an additional 30 minutes of flight, the pilot descended to about 1,200 feet above ground level, at which point the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot manipulated the fuel selector and activated the fuel boost pump, but the engine did not restart. He attempted a forced landing on the roof of an automotive supply store, but the airplane crashed through the roof and came to rest upright inside the building. The pilot stated that before the flight, he estimated fuel quantity by visually assessing the distance between the top of the fuel and wing tank tabs, resulting in a departure with about 27 gallons. He reported about 45 minutes of flight on the left tank and 23 minutes on the right tank before the power loss.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the wings and empennage. A fuel sump strainer valve on the underside of the fuselage was observed in the "locked" open position. The valve had two tangs that traveled through a track; pushing the tangs up opened the valve, and releasing them allowed a spring to close it. The valve could be locked open by pushing the tangs up and rotating it counterclockwise to the end of the track. On the accident airplane, when the tangs were pushed and released, the valve returned to the closed and locked position; but when pushed and turned counterclockwise, it remained open and locked. First responders reported the fuel tanks were breached and no fuel was evident at the site. The inspector noted that the sump strainer valve extended several inches below the fuselage, so leaked fuel might not stain the fuselage.
The airplane was later examined and the engine test-run at a secure facility with the assistance of a representative from the airframe manufacturer. The engine ran smoothly and continuously at idle for several minutes before being shut down due to the condition of the engine mounts and induction lines. The fuel sender, tank gauges, and boost pump functioned normally, and no leaks were found in any fuel lines.
Aircraft Information
The Beechcraft C24R was manufactured in 1982 and equipped with an IO-360-A1B6 200-horsepower reciprocating engine. Its most recent annual inspection was completed on March 10, 2014, at a total airframe time of 2,835 hours. The engine had accumulated 908 hours since its last overhaul.
Fuel Consumption
According to the manufacturer's pilot's operating handbook, at cruise altitudes of 5,000 to 6,000 feet under standard conditions and at maximum cruise power, estimated fuel consumption was about 10.2 gallons per hour. Subsequent testing with a similar airplane measured a flow rate through the strainer drain of approximately 2 quarts in 2.3 minutes without the engine running. Performance calculations indicated the engine would have burned about 7.5 gallons from the left tank and 3.8 gallons from the right tank. Combined with the strainer drain testing results, the airplane would have vacated about 28 gallons of fuel in flight.