Incident Overview
A commercial pilot, who did not speak Spanish, was preparing for a Title 14, CFR Part 135 on-demand charter flight in a twin-engine airplane with gasoline engines. A fuel truck operator who did not speak English inadvertently serviced the airplane with 120 gallons of Jet-A turbine fuel.
Flight and Collision
According to the pilot's written statement, shortly after takeoff with six passengers on board, both engines began to lose power. The airplane subsequently descended and collided with tree-covered terrain at the departure end of the runway.
Examination of Fueling Equipment
An on-site examination of the fuel vendor's Jet-A fuel truck revealed that the dispensing nozzle installed on the truck was the same size as a typical gasoline nozzle. Examination of the accident airplane's fuel caps and fueling ports disclosed that the airplane was equipped with round fuel tank inlet restrictors designed to prevent fueling from a jet fuel nozzle of the appropriate size. However, the fueling ports were not placarded with the required statement indicating that only gasoline (av-gas) should be used.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause is the fuel truck operator's improper refueling of a gasoline engine powered airplane with jet (turbine) fuel, and the pilot's inadequate preflight, which resulted in a loss of power in both engines and subsequent collision with trees. Factors associated with the accident were the unclear communications between the Spanish-speaking fuel truck operator and the English speaking pilot, and the fuel truck operator's lack of familiarity with the accident airplane's fueling requirements. An additional factor was the absence of the required placards adjacent to the fuel filler caps indicating that only gasoline (av-gas) should be used.