The pilot departed Runway 32 at Republic Airport (KFRG) in Farmingdale, New York, in the Cessna 421B.
During the initial climb-out, about 1,000 feet above ground level, one of the engines stopped producing power. He confirmed that all engine controls were full forward and the main fuel tanks were selected. Immediately thereafter, the remaining engine began to surge, then stopped producing power. He established best glide speed and looked for an area to perform a forced landing. The airplane crashed into a solid waste disposal facility, about 2.3 nautical miles northwest of KFRG.
The plane sustained substantial damage, while the pilot was seriously injured in the crash.
Surveillance video captured the airplane during the final seconds before the crash. The airplane approached the ground at a nearly flat pitch angle and hit the ground left wing first. There were no visible smoke, vapors, or mist trailing the airplane. The wing flaps and landing gear were in the retracted positions.
One of the first responders, a firefighter, reported that, upon arrival at the accident site, he did not see or smell any fuel on the ground. During his travels back and forth to the wreckage, he saw no pooling or buildup of fuel anywhere.
Another first responder reported that, when approaching the wreckage, fuel was dripping from the fuselage, but “…it was a minimal leak.” He estimated the drip rate to be 5 drops per minute, and after about 5-10 minutes, the leak stopped. He inspected the wreckage and could visibly see that there was no fuel in the left wing. The right wing was too damaged to go under and he was unable to get a better look.
An FAA inspector who traveled to the scene reported that the airframe sustained “major damage” to the nose and both wings and the fuselage came to rest at a 70° angle. He did not observe any signs of fuel under the wreckage nor did he smell any fuel near the wreckage.
There were no signs of fuel spillage on the street adjacent to the wreckage. There were no blue streaks or signs of fuel leaks on the wings, engines, and fuselage. All fuel tanks were checked and found to be empty of fuel.
The airplane was equipped with a Shadin fuel management system. The cockpit display unit was removed from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for examination and download of the data. The “FUEL REM” (fuel remaining) indication at the time of the accident was 36.1 gallons. The “FUEL USED” indication was 0.0 gallons. The accuracy of the fuel remaining value was dependent on proper input from the pilot.
The pilot reported that he departed KFRG with 112 gallons of fuel on board. He was requested, through his attorney, to provide documentation of the airplane’s last refueling, including time, date, location, and amount. He did not provide the requested documentation to the NTSB or the FAA.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and a forced landing.
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This January 2021 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
A fuel quantity indicator system with accuracy that is dependent on a pilot’s input? Sounds like a disaster from here!
Just about every fuel totalizer on the market relies on pilot input.
Lucky to have survived the stall. At least he crashed in the right location. I put no trust whatsoever in any fuel gauge. Double stick them every time. Fuel gauge on a car is more reliable than what they put in GA.
Gotta’ STICK the TANKS occasionally; preferably before each flight and certainly before the first flight of the day. Depending on successive Fuel Totalizer manual entries without verification can be a big GOTCHA’ and soon bite you in the you-know-where.