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ATL90LA142

1990-07-12 · MEMPHIS, Tennessee, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport MEM

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FUEL MISMANAGEMENT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DURING FINAL APPROACH.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES READ 3/4 UPON DEPARTURE. HE ALSO SAID THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE WAS INTERMITTENT. WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT ON SHORT FINAL, HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT TANK TO THE RIGHT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY. TESTING REVEALED THAT THE LEFT TANK WAS INTACT & THE QUANTITY INDICATOR WAS INOPERABLE. FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WHICH WAS ALSO BREACHED BY IMPACT DAMAGE. FIRE PERSONNEL SAID THEY PUT THE FUEL SELECTOR IN THE OFF POSITION, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, BECAUSE FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM THE RIGHT TANK DRAIN. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_ATL90LA142.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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Related research

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