Date & Time:
Aug 13, 1993 at 1950 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain
Operator:
Marc Aviation
Registration:
N6SF
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Lake, Sea, Ocean, River
Schedule:
Lavrentiya – Provideniya – Gambell – Nome
MSN:
31-7405204
YOM:
1974
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
0
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total hours on type:
317
Aircraft flight hours:
8083
Circumstances:
The business flight departed Lavrentya, Russia with what the pilot-in-command estimated to be 50 gallons of usable fuel on board the airplane and landed in Provideniya, Russia around 40 minutes later with about 30 gallons of fuel remaining. The plane took on an additional 30 gallons of fuel. The pilot said that he normally departed Provideniya with 120 gallons of fuel but that there was no additional fuel available. The flight departed Provideniya with what the pilot estimated to be 1 hour and 45 minutes of fuel endurance and landed in Gamble, Alaska on St Lawrence Island approximately 25 minutes later. The pilot did not dip stick the fuel tanks to verify the amount of fuel on board. The pilot did not check on the availability of fuel in Gamble. The right and left engines lost power approximately 40 minutes and 50 minutes, respectively after departing gamble. The airplane did not carry personal flotation devices for the passengers.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion due to the pilot in commands improper preflight planning/preparation.
Final Report:
N6SF.pdf89.34 KB
