N680WS

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On October 8, 2003, approximately 1825 central daylight time, a Twin Commander 680FL, twin-engine airplane, N680WS, registered to War Eagle Aviation LLC., of Wilmington, Delaware, and operated by Community First Bank of Harrison, Arkansas, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of power to both engines while on final approach to land on runway 18 at Boon County Airport (HRO), near Harrison, Arkansas. The private pilot and a pilot rated passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the Title14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Springdale Municipal Airport (ASG), Springdale, Arkansas at 1745.

During an interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in charge (IIC), the pilot stated that he had flown the airplane from HRO to St. Louis, Missouri, and then flew to ASG to pick up the pilot-rated passenger for the final leg of the flight back to HRO. The pilot and pilot rated passenger stated that during the departure sequence from ASG, both fuel selectors were in the main tank positions. The pilot leveled off at 5,500 feet MSL, turn the electric fuel boost pumps to the "on" position, switched the fuel selectors to auxiliary fuel tank positions, then turned the electric fuel boost pumps to the "off" position. Approximately 10 to 15 minutes later, about 17 miles from the airport, the pilot activated the electric fuel boost pumps and switched the fuel selectors from the auxiliary fuel tank positions to the main fuel tank positions. The pilot recalled that the fuel gauges indicated approximately 70 gallons of fuel in the main tank and about 10-15 gallons of fuel in the auxiliary tanks. The flight continued to the destination airport for approximately 5-7 minutes, entered the pattern, lowered the landing gear, and selected "approach" flaps. Upon completion of the base leg to final turn, approximately 1-1.5 miles from the approach end of runway 18, the airplane yawed to the left and the left engine "quit." The pilot rated passenger stated, "I think it's the left engine," and then the right engine "quit." Both left and right propellers were feathered. The airplane then impacted a 70-foot high tree about 45 feet from ground level, impacted the ground 50 yards from the tree, and came to rest in a ditch approximately 1,000 feet short of Runway 18.

Four witnesses who heard and observed the airplane just prior to and during the accident reported the following information to the NTSB IIC:

#1: The manager of a fixed base operator (FBO) on the airport stated that he heard a normal radio transmission from N680WS on UNICOM frequency to enter the pattern for runway 18. Next, he heard the downwind radio call and he didn't think that it was the pilot's voice on the radio. Shortly after that he heard another radio call from N680WS, which was, "final for 18." He stated that he recognized that this last transmission was the pilot's voice.

#2: A lineman for the FBO first "heard" engines and observed the airplane as it came over the airport from the west. He stated that the airplane looked normal, and then the airplane made a left turn onto downwind, and continued. Next he observed N680WS turn left onto base then final. Once established on final he noticed that both engines had stopped, and then the left wing drooped and the airplane went below the horizon.

#3: A person, who was burning leaves 1.5 miles northeast of the approach end of runway 18, stated that he heard the airplane fly over and then heard a "backfire sound coming from it." He "didn't think anything about it because [he heard] planes all the time, and sometimes they cut their power to practice landings." He added that about a minute or two later, he and his girlfriend heard two "crashing" sounds.

#4: A person, who was driving a vehicle on Hwy 65 just north of the approach end of runway 18, stated that he saw the airplane on final approach to runway 18. He observed that the right engine was not turning and the propeller was feathered. He drove under the airplane as it crossed over U.S. 65, he stated that he thought "he's not going to make it, he looked too low", the airplane then went behind the tree line and was obscured. When a break in the tree line appeared he saw the airplane hit the ground well short of the runway on the tapered safety area, the airplane bounced up with the left wing down approximately 15-20 degrees.

PERSONNAL INFORMATION

The pilot's private pilot certificate was issued on June 23, 1975. His seaplane rating was issued on June 7, 2002. His instrument rating was issued on February 3, 2003 and multi-engine rating was issued on April 2, 2003. According to entries in the pilot's logbook and entries in the flight logbook for N680WS, the pilot's total flight time as of his last logbook entry on May 22, 2003, was 624.7 hours. Entries in an additional flight log, showed that the pilot had flown the accident airplane approximately 86 hours since May 22, 2003. Several airmen, who had either flown with or had given the pilot instruction, reported that he was a safe and "meticulous" pilot.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The 1964 model 680FL Commander was manufactured on May 1, 1964, and its current registration was dated November 15, 2001. The airplane had a "Standard" Airworthiness Certificate Type, and was approved for normal operations. According to entries in the aircraft's maintenance logs, the last annual inspection was completed on May 27, 2003, at 9,362.3 hours of operation. The airplane was equipped with 2 IGSO-540-B1A engines with Hartzell HCB3Z30-2B propellers. According to entries in the engine logs, the left engine, s/n L-593-50, had accumulated 375.3 hours since its last major overhaul completed on November 21, 2001. The right engine, s/n L-2135-50, had accumulated 450.1 hours since its last overhaul completed on March 7, 1993. According to the records, both engines were last inspected on May 27, 2003.

Fueling records revealed that the airplane was fueled with 133.7 gallons of 100LL aviation grade fuel at Harrison Jet Center, Harrison Arkansas, prior to the departure. During an interview with the fueling technician from Harrison Jet Center, he stated that he fueled the left auxiliary first, then the pilot took the ladder and checked the oil in both engines, then returned the ladder to the technician, who then fueled the main fuel tank, and the right auxiliary fuel tank. The technician then rechecked the main fuel tank to see if there had been any change in the level of the fuel during the fueling sequence, there was none. The technician stated that the fuel tanks were "filled to the tabs."

According to aircraft historical records, the airplane was originally delivered new with a fuel system capacity of 223 usable gallons. The system consisted of the following components:

Center tank and sumps with low point drain.

Left inboard fuel cell

Left inboard aft cell

Left electromechanical shut off valve

Right electromechanical shut off valve

Left outboard tank system has a capacity of 33.5 gallons

Left outboard forward fuel cell

Left outboard aft fuel cell with low point drain.

Left electromechanical shut-off valve

Right outboard tank system has a capacity of 33.5 gallons

Right outboard forward fuel cell

Right outboard aft fuel cell with low point drain.

Right electromechanical shut off valve

According to the airplane maintenance manual, the original installed fuel system was configured with three tanks; the center tank and two outboard tanks. The center tank is composed of five, interconnected, synthetic rubber cells, having a total capacity of 150 to 159 US gallons. Each outboard fuel tank is composed of two fuel cells with a conbined capacity of 33.5 gallons. The total of the two outboard fuel tanks (four cells) is 67 gallons, providing a total usable capacity of 233 gallons when all three tanks are filled. Fuel from the tanks flows through fuel supply lines to the fuel shutoff valves, fuel straners, and to the fuel injector which delivers the fuel, under pressure, to the supercharger impeller. The fuel shutoff switches, located on the overhead cockpit switch panels, control the flow of fuel to the engines. Each engine engine has its own fuel shutoff switch. Rotating a switch to the RIGHT OUTBOARD or LEFT OUTBOARD position allows fuel from the outboard tanks to flow to the respective engine and shuts off fuel from the center tank. Rotating a fuel shutoff switch to the CENTER position allows fuel to flow from the center tank to the respective engine, and shuts off flow from the respective outboard tank. Rootating the switch to the OFF position shuts off all fuel flow to the respective engine. There is no cross-feed configuration of the switches.

A review of the airplane's available historical records revealed that several fuel system modifications had been installed. The earliest reference to an increased fuel capacity installation appeared on a copy of a Canadian Weight and Balance Statement, dated December 20, 1981which showed and fuel capacity of 274 US gallons. The next reference to increased fuel capacity modification was in an airframe log dated, May 19, 1995, at an hour meter reading of 19.2 hours. The entry read: "Deactivated RH extended Range Aux fuel bladders and moved fuel filler to factory outboard nacelle bladder tanks. CLH was already deactivated previously by persons unknown. Placarded outboard fillers for 33.5 gallons." No additional documentation could be found regarding the details of these fuel system modifications.

On May 7, 2002, at hour meter reading 225.5 all fuel cells, except left inboard aft, which was installed on September 10, 1997, were replaced with new PMA approved Eagle fuel cells. The additional auxiliary tanks increased the total fuel capacity by 21 gallons, thus increasing the total usable fuel...