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ATL90LA063

1990-02-10 · OCEAN ISLAND BE, North Carolina, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION AND THE PILOT IN COMMANDS FAILURE TO TURN ON THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP DURING ATTEMPTED ENGINE RESTART RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT HAD RETURNED FROM A 3.5 HOUR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE PREVIOUS WEEK. THIS FLIGHT WAS TO FUEL THE AIRPLANE AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT SAW A RAIN SHOWER AT THE DESTINATION & RETURNED TO HIS DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ON BASE LEG THE ENGINE QUIT. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS CHANGED FROM THE RIGHT TANK TO THE LEFT BUT, THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP WAS LEFT OFF. A FORCED LANDING ENSUED ON A SAND DUNE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED 1/2 GAL OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT TANK & EIGHT PLUS GALS IN THE LEFT TANK. A WX BRIEF WAS NOT OBTAINED. FLIGHT MANUAL LIST AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP-ON IN ENGINE FAILURE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_ATL90LA063.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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