C402 pilot had a double engine failure. He made emergency forced landing on a highway.

Attributes
ACN	406976
Time
Date	199806
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fxe
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia tower : jfk
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Cessna 402/402C/B379 Businessliner/Utiliner
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	other other : other pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	406976
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency other
Consequence	faa : investigated other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

402C -- emergency landing. On jun/tue/98, pilot preflted aircraft in preparation for a 30-45 min flight with an avionics technician (also a pilot) to check the autoplt and radar that was recently repaired. During preflight it was discovered and noted that there were approximately 65 gals of fuel in the right tank and 25 gals of fuel in the left tank. The flight was planned for 30-45 mins, which would consume 16-25 gals. After a normal takeoff, during a climb to 4500 ft in contact with ZMA, the pilot switched the left fuel selector to the right tank (xfeed) to 'even the fuel' quantity. Flight continued to 4500 ft and the avionics check was completed within 20- 25 mins. ATC was advised that we were ready to return to the airport. Pilot was given a vector of '90 degrees, and descend to 2000 ft' so that a 'citation could pass overhead.' shortly after leveling out at 2000 ft and approximately 10 mi from the airport, the engines started to 'surge' and were not responsive to control in the cockpit. The aircraft started losing altitude. The pilot switched the left fuel control to the left tank, and the engine still surged (possible air in fuel line) so the pilot returned the fuel selector to the right tank (showing 60 gals). The engines were still surging and the aircraft had now descended below 1500 ft. The left tank was showing 20 gals, however, at this low altitude, there was no longer any time left to continue switching fuel selectors. The pilot instructed the avionics technician to 'handle the radios' as he found a place to effect an 'emergency landing.' 2 mi ahead there was a 4 lane divided interstate with light traffic. The pilot landed the aircraft on the interstate between 2 tractor trailer trucks with the flow of traffic, coming to a stop in the median. There was very little damage to the aircraft, and the pilot and avionics technician were not hurt. After inspection and investigation, it was determined that the right fuel gauge was defective and was stuck showing 60 gals of fuel in the tank, when in reality there was 1-2 gals of fuel remaining. To prevent a reoccurrence of this situation there should be a way to visually verify the quantity of fuel in a partially filled fuel tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C402 PLT HAD A DOUBLE ENG FAILURE. HE MADE EMER FORCED LNDG ON A HWY.

Narrative: 402C -- EMER LNDG. ON JUN/TUE/98, PLT PREFLTED ACFT IN PREPARATION FOR A 30-45 MIN FLT WITH AN AVIONICS TECHNICIAN (ALSO A PLT) TO CHK THE AUTOPLT AND RADAR THAT WAS RECENTLY REPAIRED. DURING PREFLT IT WAS DISCOVERED AND NOTED THAT THERE WERE APPROX 65 GALS OF FUEL IN THE R TANK AND 25 GALS OF FUEL IN THE L TANK. THE FLT WAS PLANNED FOR 30-45 MINS, WHICH WOULD CONSUME 16-25 GALS. AFTER A NORMAL TKOF, DURING A CLB TO 4500 FT IN CONTACT WITH ZMA, THE PLT SWITCHED THE L FUEL SELECTOR TO THE R TANK (XFEED) TO 'EVEN THE FUEL' QUANTITY. FLT CONTINUED TO 4500 FT AND THE AVIONICS CHK WAS COMPLETED WITHIN 20- 25 MINS. ATC WAS ADVISED THAT WE WERE READY TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. PLT WAS GIVEN A VECTOR OF '90 DEGS, AND DSND TO 2000 FT' SO THAT A 'CITATION COULD PASS OVERHEAD.' SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OUT AT 2000 FT AND APPROX 10 MI FROM THE ARPT, THE ENGS STARTED TO 'SURGE' AND WERE NOT RESPONSIVE TO CTL IN THE COCKPIT. THE ACFT STARTED LOSING ALT. THE PLT SWITCHED THE L FUEL CTL TO THE L TANK, AND THE ENG STILL SURGED (POSSIBLE AIR IN FUEL LINE) SO THE PLT RETURNED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE R TANK (SHOWING 60 GALS). THE ENGS WERE STILL SURGING AND THE ACFT HAD NOW DSNDED BELOW 1500 FT. THE L TANK WAS SHOWING 20 GALS, HOWEVER, AT THIS LOW ALT, THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY TIME LEFT TO CONTINUE SWITCHING FUEL SELECTORS. THE PLT INSTRUCTED THE AVIONICS TECHNICIAN TO 'HANDLE THE RADIOS' AS HE FOUND A PLACE TO EFFECT AN 'EMER LNDG.' 2 MI AHEAD THERE WAS A 4 LANE DIVIDED INTERSTATE WITH LIGHT TFC. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT ON THE INTERSTATE BTWN 2 TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCKS WITH THE FLOW OF TFC, COMING TO A STOP IN THE MEDIAN. THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DAMAGE TO THE ACFT, AND THE PLT AND AVIONICS TECHNICIAN WERE NOT HURT. AFTER INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE R FUEL GAUGE WAS DEFECTIVE AND WAS STUCK SHOWING 60 GALS OF FUEL IN THE TANK, WHEN IN REALITY THERE WAS 1-2 GALS OF FUEL REMAINING. TO PREVENT A REOCCURRENCE OF THIS SIT THERE SHOULD BE A WAY TO VISUALLY VERIFY THE QUANTITY OF FUEL IN A PARTIALLY FILLED FUEL TANK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.