ERA13FA348

The pilot's loss of airplane control, which resulted from his failure to follow the loss of single engine power checklist procedures after a total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper preflight fuel planning and in-flight fuel management.

After departing on the accident flight, the pilot performed a practice instrument approach to an airport located about 25 minutes away. Onboard video taken during the final portion of the approach showed that the right main fuel tank had about 5 gallons of fuel remaining (about 20 minutes of flight at the computed consumption rate), which was below the minimum fuel quantity specified for takeoff in the pilot's operating handbook (POH). Instead of landing after the approach, the pilot chose to continue the flight and return to his home airport. While on final approach for landing and about 600 ft above the ground, the airplane made a steep, 270-degree right turn, departed controlled flight, and crashed at the entrance to a housing development.   Examination of both engines and their propellers revealed evidence consistent with the left engine operating at high power and with the right engine operating at low or possibly no power at impact. Disassembly of each engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Based on the limited fuel in the right main fuel tank on the previous approach and the lack of power at impact, it is likely that the right engine lost power due to fuel starvation.   All of the engine controls were found full-forward in their quadrants, and the right engine propeller was not feathered. The POH engine failure checklist stated that the controls on the inoperative engine should be closed and that the inoperative engine should be feathered. The POH also noted that, in the event of an engine failure, it is necessary "to maintain lateral and directional control" by operating the airplane above the single-engine minimum controllable airspeed (Vmca). The published Vmca for the accident airplane was 80 knots, and performance calculations revealed that the airplane slowed to below 80 knots. Based on the airplane's configuration at impact and the performance calculations, it is likely that the pilot did not follow the POH checklist procedures for a loss of single engine power and that he subsequently lost control of the airplane.   A review of the pilot's medical records revealed that he been prescribed medications for the treatment of depression and anxiety, and toxicological testing revealed the presence of sertraline, a medication used to treat depression, in the pilot's liver and blood. However, based on the evidence, it is unlikely that the pilot was impaired by depression or the medication he used to treat it at the time of the accident.

***This report was modified on September 24, 2015. Please see the docket for this accident to view the original report.*** HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 3, 2013, about 1254 eastern daylight time, a Beechcraft D55, N7641N, was destroyed by impact and fire following collision with a telephone pole and terrain near Conway, South Carolina. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight departed from Conway-Horry County Airport (HYW), Conway, South Carolina, about 1128. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to air traffic control (ATC) communication transcripts and radar data provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the pilot was issued an instrument clearance and performed a practice Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to runway 18 at Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, then proceeded back to HYW under visual flight rules (VFR). After performing a low approach to runway 18 at MYR he climbed the airplane to 3,500 feet on a northerly track. The pilot reported the destination airport in sight, and ATC issued the airplane a frequency change. The airplane continued several miles north of HYW, and approximately 1246, initiated a 180-degree descending turn back towards HYW. About 1252:50, while descending at a calculated rate of 800 feet per minute, the airplane turned and aligned with the final approach course to runway 22 at HYW. While tracking inbound, aligned for runway 22 at HYW, about 2 miles from the runway threshold, the airplane leveled about 600 feet where it entered a 270-degree turn to the right. The last radar target was plotted at an altitude 700 feet, approximately over the accident site. The Beechcraft Aerodynamics Engineering Department performed calculations and plotted a graph, attached elsewhere to this report, which showed the altitude and airspeed changes along the radar track of the airplane. The calculations correlated to a right bank of approximately 30 degrees and airspeeds below 80 knots. Witnesses heard the airplane approaching from the southwest and noticed it was "extremely" low. The airplane then executed a steep right turn, leveled its wings, and rocked side to side. The airplane departed controlled flight, struck a telephone pole, rotated approximately 180 degrees, impacted terrain, and caught fire. According to one witness, "… I could hear the engine sputtering and stalling and at the same time I witnessed the plane banking toward the Southeast really hard, almost to the point I thought the plane was going to turn completely upside down. Then all of a sudden it sounded like the plane went to full power and it was like he was trying to get altitude but the plane was still rocking side to side like it was not in control. All I can remember after that point is the plane losing altitude and clipping the power lines with the left wing and hitting the ground then exploding." Another witness stated, "At no time did I witness any attempt to pull up and out of the rapid decent I do remember hearing lots of sputtering/choking…I did not see any landing gear exposed." PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on February 15, 2012. According to the pilot's most recent logbook entry, dated July 26, 2013, he had a total of 354 total hours of flight experience; of which193 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The six-seat, twin-engine, low-wing, retractable landing gear airplane was manufactured in 1968 and was equipped with two Continental Motors IO-520, 285-horsepower engines. The airplane's maintenance and fuel servicing records were not recovered; however a copy of a maintenance log entry revealed that its most recent annual inspection was completed on September 10, 2012, at 4,352 total airframe hours. The right and left engines had accrued 1,313 and 135 total hours of operation since overhaul, respectively. The main fuel tanks had a capacity of 40 gallons each, of which 37 gallons was usable. The auxiliary tanks had a capacity of 31 gallons each. The separate, identical fuel supplies for each engine were interconnected by crossfeed lines. During normal operation, each engine operated on its respective fuel tanks. During an emergency, fuel could be drawn from any or all tanks by either engine. Emergency crossfeed operations were limited to level flight only. A one-eighth tank indication was approximately 5 gallons. The manufacturer's published minimum controllable airspeed (Vmca) for single engine operation was 80 knots. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The 1255 recorded weather at HYW, included wind from 190 degrees at 4 knots, 7 statute miles visibility, and scattered cloud layers at 4,600 and 5,000 feet. The temperature was 31 degrees C, the dew point was 23 degrees C, and the altimeter setting was 30.02 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATION HYW was a non-towered airport that operated under class G airspace. The field elevation for the airport was 35 feet msl and the traffic pattern altitude was 1,035 feet msl. The airport was equipped with one asphalt runway. Runway 4/22 was 4,401 feet in length and 75-feet wide. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The accident site was located at the entrance of a residential neighborhood, about 2 miles to the north of the approach end of runway 22 at HYW. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The airplane impacted terrain in an approximately 25-30 degrees nose down, level attitude, and came to rest on about a 305 degree magnetic heading. The airplane front cockpit area came to rest on the housing development entrance marque brick pillar. The forward carry thru structure was separated, and the outboard half of the left wing was separated. The airplane was otherwise intact. The left wingtip assembly was located to the left (outboard) of the left engine nacelle. The wingtip assembly had been exposed to post-impact fire. A section of the left outboard wing with the aileron attached was found about 25 feet to the left of the airplane. The separated outboard left wing was further separated into three pieces; two pieces of leading edge connected to each other by a piece of front spar hinge wire, and a wing panel piece with an aileron attached by the outboard hinge. The section of the left outboard wing with the aileron attached was only slightly exposed to the post-impact fire. The inboard end of the right and left wing were partially consumed by post-impact fire. The remainder of the airplane, including the cockpit area, cabin, rear fuselage, and empennage, displayed varying degrees of exposure to post-impact fire. The engine nacelle assemblies were not exposed to post impact fire. The airplane was equipped with a dual arm control column. The right aileron and empennage flight control surfaces remained attached to the airplane. The left aileron remained partially attached to the separated portion of the outboard end of the left wing. The left aileron pushrod was separated. The airplane flight control cable systems from the front carry thru to their respective control surface remained intact. Manipulation of the empennage flight control cables from a position aft of the front carry thru moved the elevators and rudder. The aileron flight control cables could not be manipulated to move the right aileron. The left aileron flight control cables could be manipulated to move the left aileron bellcrank. Forward of the front carry thru one rudder flight control cable remained intact. The other five flight control cables were separated at the bottom s