A beech 55 made an emergency gear up landing, caused by fuel starvation, incurring major damage to t...

Attributes
ACN	506469
Time
Date	200103
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgm.airport
State Reference	AL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Baron 55/Cochise
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	landing : roll
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7.35 flight time total : 1408 flight time type : 858
ASRS Report	506469
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical ground encounters : gear up landing other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Factors
Maintenance	performance deficiency : inspection
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

En route from lch to mgm, I switched from auxiliary to main fuel cells giving me 75+ gallons for flight of 383 NM at 9000 ft using an average speed of 185 KTS or 2 hours flight. After lch, the right main fuel cell indicator began to fall faster than the left and at mvc, I switched over to the left main cell indicating 75% full. On approach, both engines quit. I feathered the propellers and pulled up the landing gear to land on runway 28. On the ground, I discovered the right engine, right rear, cylinder injector severed and the left main fuel cell folded up. The plane was lifted to drop the gear and it was towed to FBO. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the cause of the incident was fuel starvation. The reporter said the left tank fuel bladder was found folded up due to the left tank vent being plugged by mud daubers. The reporter said the airplane was extensively damaged and was sold for salvage. The reporter stated the FAA disapproved his practice of landing with the xfeed valves open.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A BEECH 55 MADE AN EMER GEAR UP LNDG, CAUSED BY FUEL STARVATION, INCURRING MAJOR DAMAGE TO THE ACFT.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM LCH TO MGM, I SWITCHED FROM AUX TO MAIN FUEL CELLS GIVING ME 75+ GALLONS FOR FLT OF 383 NM AT 9000 FT USING AN AVERAGE SPD OF 185 KTS OR 2 HRS FLT. AFTER LCH, THE R MAIN FUEL CELL INDICATOR BEGAN TO FALL FASTER THAN THE L AND AT MVC, I SWITCHED OVER TO THE L MAIN CELL INDICATING 75% FULL. ON APCH, BOTH ENGS QUIT. I FEATHERED THE PROPS AND PULLED UP THE LNDG GEAR TO LAND ON RWY 28. ON THE GND, I DISCOVERED THE R ENG, R REAR, CYLINDER INJECTOR SEVERED AND THE L MAIN FUEL CELL FOLDED UP. THE PLANE WAS LIFTED TO DROP THE GEAR AND IT WAS TOWED TO FBO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS FUEL STARVATION. THE RPTR SAID THE L TANK FUEL BLADDER WAS FOUND FOLDED UP DUE TO THE L TANK VENT BEING PLUGGED BY MUD DAUBERS. THE RPTR SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED AND WAS SOLD FOR SALVAGE. THE RPTR STATED THE FAA DISAPPROVED HIS PRACTICE OF LNDG WITH THE XFEED VALVES OPEN.

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.

A beech 55 made an emergency gear up landing, caused by fuel starvation, incurring major damage to the aircraft.