What happened
Following the delivery of an aircraft to a maintenance facility for a scheduled phase inspection, the pilot prepared for a local flight intended to assess avionics issues. Prior to the flight, two maintenance employees conducted an engine run for approximately 30 to 35 minutes. During this period, the aircraft's fuel levels were depleted, leaving 200 pounds of fuel in each tank.
Upon returning to the aircraft, the pilot relied on the flight management system (FMS) fuel totalizer rather than the physical fuel gauges. Because the FMS had not been powered up during the engine run, the totalizer did not reflect the actual fuel consumed, creating a significant discrepancy. The pilot proceeded with the flight despite the Pilot’s Operating Handbook requirement that takeoff should not occur if fuel levels in the main tanks are below 265 pounds.
Approximately 23 minutes into the flight, while the aircraft was on final approach, the right engine lost power, followed shortly by the left engine. The pilot attempted to glide the Beechcraft B200 to the runway with the landing gear and flaps retracted, but the aircraft crashed short of the runway. Post-accident inspections revealed that only residual fuel remained in the main and auxiliary tanks, with no evidence of leaks or tank breaches.
Findings
- The pilot utilized the FMS fuel totalizer for monitoring instead of the aircraft fuel gauges.
- A discrepancy between the FMS totalizer and the actual fuel gauges occurred because the FMS was not reactivated after the maintenance engine run.
- The fuel levels in the main tanks were below the minimum takeoff requirement of 265 pounds.
- The crash resulted in 0 fatalities and 0 injuries reported in the provided text, though the aircraft was destroyed.