At 22:35 eastern time, a Beechcraft BE-55 crashed two miles short of runway 24 at Erie International Airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries. That day the pilot had flown from Erie to Dunkirk, N.Y. and Concord, N.C., then flew back to Dunkirk and was returning to Erie when the accident occurred. The pilot said he did not visually check the fuel level in either tank prior to departing on the final leg and relied on the fuel gauges. As he approached Erie, the left fuel gauge was showing empty, so he positioned the fuel selector to what he thought would feed fuel from the right tank to both engines. The Baron did not have that capability, and the pilot admitted to investigators that, despite 500 hours in make and model, he was unsure of the cross-feeding procedures for the airplane.
June 8, Erie, Pa. / Beech Baron
At 22:35 eastern time, a Beechcraft BE-55 crashed two miles short of runway 24 at Erie International Airport. The pilot sustained minor injuries. That day the pilot had flown from Erie to Dunkirk, N.Y. and Concord, N.C., then flew back to Dunkirk and was returning to Erie when the accident occurred. The pilot said he did not visually check the fuel level in either tank prior to departing on the final leg and relied on the fuel gauges. As he approached Erie, the left fuel gauge was showing empty, so he positioned the fuel selector to what he thought would feed fuel from the right tank to both engines. The Baron did not have that capability, and the pilot admitted to investigators that, despit...
Key Takeaways:
- A Beechcraft BE-55 crashed after a fuel tank ran empty, leading to a loss of power near Erie International Airport.
- The pilot admitted to not visually checking fuel levels before the final flight leg, relying solely on gauges.
- When a tank showed empty, the pilot attempted to cross-feed fuel but misunderstood the aircraft's capabilities and correct procedures.
- Despite having 500 hours in the BE-55, the pilot confessed to investigators that he was unsure of the proper cross-feeding operation for the aircraft.
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