N20BX

On July 24, 1995, about 1708 eastern daylight time, a Socata, TB- 10, N20BX, collided with trees during a forced landing near Damascus, Maryland (MD). The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and two passengers were not injured. A third passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

En route from Ocean City, Maryland, to Frederick, Maryland, and while the pilot was receiving traffic advisories from Baltimore Approach, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot elected to land in a wooded area and struck trees.

According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:

...at 2500 feet MSL I noticed the engine sputter and quit. I immediately applied carburetor heat and turned on the electric fuel pump and noticed that I was running on the fullest tank...(according to the fuel quantity gauge was over 3/8 full). I switched to the right tank and noted it was just over 1/4 full. A few seconds later the engine came to life...I was considering my options the first of which was to land at nearest airport...the engine quit again and I switched back to the left (fullest) tank...the engine sputtered a couple of times...ATC vectored me to Gaithersburg, MD...8 miles away at 240 degrees...[I] indicated to them I didn't have the altitude to make it and they informed me of another field 2 miles closer. I replied I didn't have the altitude and was picking out a field to land in...while on very short final I believe I noticed the plane roll to one side...just then I noticed trees in our path...and then only remember penetrating the trees and ended up inverted....

According to the ATC Transcript of Communications, at 1705:11, while in radio contact with Baltimore Approach Control, the pilot of N20BX said, "...I believe I'm having an emergency up here, I believe I'm running out of fuel."

The FAA examined the wreckage at the accident site, and they found no fuel in the airplane's fuel tanks. The last known refueling of the airplane was on July 20, 1995. At that time 31.9 gallons of fuel was added to the tanks. Between the last refueling and the accident, the airplane flew approximately 5 hours 36 minutes (5.6 hours).

According to information supplied by Socata Aircraft and Lycoming Engines, this model airplane has a total fuel capacity of 51 gallons with a range of 5 hours 5 minutes, at a 72 percent power setting and 2600 RPM. At 2000 feet, a 72% power setting, and 2600 RPM, the fuel burn rate is 10.6 gallons per hour.

The Dulles weather at 1650 was; 4,500 broken, 10,000 overcast, visibility 6 miles, rain showers and haze, temperature 78 degrees F, dew point 73 degrees F, wind 240 degrees, 8 knots, altimeter 29.89 inches Hg.

The pilot had 131.1 total hours, of which 23.3 hours were in this make and model aircraft.

Additional Information

At 72% power, 2600 RPM and a fuel burn rate of 10.6 gallons p/hr, 59.36 gallons of fuel would have been required, for a 5.6 hour flight.