What happened
A flight traveling from Miami to Philadelphia, which included a scheduled stop in Norfolk, Virginia, ended in an accident during its second leg. While operating the segment toward its destination, the pilot experienced issues regarding fuel supply, necessitating an unplanned diversion to Salisbury Regional Airport. During the final approach, both engines ceased operation at the same time. This loss of power led to an aerodynamic stall, causing the twin-engine aircraft to collide with trees and impact a wooded area near the airfield. The accident resulted in five injuries, with two individuals sustaining serious harm. The airframe was completely destroyed during the impact.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary reason for the crash was a dual engine failure resulting from fuel starvation. Several contributing elements were identified regarding the fuel system and its management:
- Errors in managing the available fuel supply by the pilot
- Inaccurate calculations of the aircraft's fuel consumption rates
- A condition where fuel remained only in the tip tanks while other tanks were depleted
- Potential loss of fuel caused by a faulty O-ring seal
- Issues related to the fuel level control valve