Event CEN24LA033

Factual narrative

On November 7, 2023, at 1510 eastern standard time, an Aero Commander 500B, N118PW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Jackson, Michigan. The pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes after departure, he began to observe “erratic/low fuel pressure” on the right engine. The pilot descended the airplane from 7,000 ft to 5,500 ft, reduced engine power, and turned the fuel boost pump on. Upon reaching 5,500 ft, fuel pressure returned to normal, and the engine produced full power. About 15 to 20 minutes later, the same engine and fuel pressure symptoms reoccurred and the pilot reduced engine power, turned the fuel boost pump on again, descended the airplane to 3,500 ft, and engine power and fuel pressure were restored. About 15 miles from the destination airport, the fuel pressure to the right engine was lost, and the right engine began surging and producing partial power. Shortly thereafter, left engine fuel pressure was lost and both engines were producing partial power: between 12 to 15 inches manifold pressure and less than 10 psi of fuel pressure. The airplane could not sustain level flight, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. During an initial postaccident examination of the airplane, only residual fuel was drained from the fuel system. A security seal was not placed over the fuel tank filler port(s), and the airplane was in the field and unmonitored until an engine run, and a subsequent airplane examination was performed on November 29, 2023at the accident site. The subsequent examination of the fuel system, which included the airframe fuel filters and flow dividers, did not reveal any debris or contaminants. About 27 gallons of 100 low lead aviation fuel was drained from the airplane after the airplane was leveled using jacks. The fuel drained did not contain contaminants. About 6 gallons of fuel was added to the fuel system; both engines started and ran without any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Testing of the fuel quantity sending unit, The Liquidometer Corp. part number EA515B-1404M, indicated full at varying levels and down to an empty level of actual fuel quantity. Bench testing of the fuel boost pumps, fuel servos, and the fuel manifold valve assembly with attached lines and fuel nozzles revealed no anomalies. The pilot stated that, about 30 minutes into the flight, he observed low fuel pressure and a partial loss of power on the right engine. The pilot’s initial attempts at regaining engine power by using the fuel boost pump were successful until the airplane was about 15 miles from the destination airport, when the right engine lost fuel pressure and began surging. Shortly thereafter, left engine fuel pressure was lost and both engines were producing partial power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. Postaccident examination revealed only residual fuel in the airplane’s fuel system; however, during a subsequent examination of the airplane several weeks later, about 27 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane. There was no fuel system contamination present. A postaccident engine run revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Testing of the fuel quantity sending unit revealed that it was inoperative. The lack of useable fuel upon initial examination, the inoperative fuel quantity sending unit, and the loss of power to both engines is consistent with a fuel mismanagement event; however, the amount of fuel onboard at the time of the accident could not be quantified, and whether the loss of engine power was the result of fuel exhaustion or starvation could not be determined. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• — Aircraft-Fluids/misc hardware-Fluids-Fuel-Fluid management
• — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Action-(general)-Pilot
• — Aircraft-Aircraft systems-Fuel system-Fuel indication system-Inoperative