NTSB CAROL · Event
Event ATL91FA026
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
FUEL STARVATION. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW NORMAL FUEL SYSTEM OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Factual narrative
THE FLIGHT WAS SEQUENCED BEHIND A MALIBU FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 03, AND THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ALLOW THE MALIBU AMPLE SPACE FOR THE LANDING. ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM TOUCHDOWN THE PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND TO ALLOW THE MALIBU TIME TO CLEAR RUNWAY 03. THE PILOT STARTED A GO AROUND AND REPORTED A DUAL ENGINE MALFUNCTION DURING THE CLIMBOUT. THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON ANY RUNWAY. AS THE PILOT TURNED LEFT TOWARD RWY 21, THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A SMALL GROVE OF TREES 1100 FEET LEFT OF THE EXTENDED CENTER LINE FOR RUNWAY 21. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD PLACED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES IN THE AUX POSITION. A PLACARD ON THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE ASSEMBLY STATED 'USE AUX TANKS AND CROSS FEED FOR LEVEL FLIGHT ONLY.' SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATIONS OF THE AIRFRAME AND POWER PLANTS FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MECHANICAL OR SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. DURING THE POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION, THE RIGHT ENGINE STARTED AND OPERATED, ON THE AIRFRAME, WITH THE EXISTING FUEL AND SUPPORTIVE SYSTEMS. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_ATL91FA026.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
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