At about 1009 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and impact with terrain on final approach. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Following an engine ground run, the pilot and two passengers departed for a flight in the local traffic pattern. While airborne, ATC instructed the pilot to reduce speed to prevent overtaking a preceding aircraft. The pilot then advised he was “low on fuel” but did not declare an emergency. The airplane impacted terrain approximately 0.125 miles short of Runway 4, resulting in structural damage to the airframe. An on-site inspection of the wreckage revealed approximately one half gallon of fuel in the fuel tanks. There was no evidence of a fuel spillage on the ground. Two mechanics who performed the engine run prior to the accident flight reported that they checked the fuel quantity aboard the airplane during the engine run. The auxiliary fuel tanks were empty, and the main tanks each indicated approximately 200 pounds of fuel.
November 9, 2009, Greer, S.C., Raytheon Aircraft Company B200
At about 1009 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged following a loss of engine power and impact with terrain on final approach. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Following an engine ground run, the pilot and two passengers departed for a flight in the local traffic pattern. While airborne, ATC instructed the pilot to reduce speed to prevent overtaking a preceding aircraft.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane crashed on final approach due to a loss of engine power, resulting in substantial damage and serious injuries to the pilot and two passengers.
- The investigation revealed the aircraft had critically low fuel (approximately 0.5 gallon) at the time of impact, despite the pilot indicating "low on fuel" to ATC without declaring an emergency.
- Mechanics reported checking the fuel quantity before the flight, finding approximately 200 pounds of fuel in each main tank, which contradicts the post-crash findings.
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