NTSB CAROL · Event
Event FTW90LA175
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
THE FUEL STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS TO THE LEFT ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED FROM THE IMPROPER FUEL TANK BEING SELECTED BY THE PIC.
Factual narrative
THE MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED ON THE RIGHT ENGINE THE PILOT RECEIVED CLEARANCE FROM ATC TO A NEARBY AIRPORT. THE PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND SET UP FOR APPROACH. HE EXECUTED A GO- AROUND OVER THE RUNWAY. AS HE APPLIED POWER, THE LEFT ENGINE SURGED AND AIRSPEED WAS LOST. THE PILOT DECIDED TO LAND ON A ROAD, BUT STRUCK THE TOPS OF SEVERAL TREES DURING THE DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON THE ROAD AND SLID INTO A TREE AND MAIL BOX POLE. FAA INSPECTORS DISCOVERED THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS EMPTY AND FUEL SELECTOR SWITCHES POSITIONED TO THE AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS. MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE NEARLY FULL. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1990_FTW90LA175.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
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