N4912A

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 26, 2008, about 1756 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310R, N4912A, registered to a private individual and operated by Marco Aviation, Inc., experienced total loss of engine power from both engines and was ditched in the Gulf of Mexico near Goodland, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 non-scheduled, domestic, passenger flight. The flight departed from Key West International Airport (EYW), Key West, Florida, and was destined to Marco Island Airport, (MKY), Marco Island, Florida. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the certificated airline transport pilot (ATP) plus one of five passengers were not injured. Three passengers sustained minor injuries and one passenger sustained serous injury. The flight originated about 1722, from EYW.

The pilot stated that before takeoff, he did not check the fuel tanks and he did not brief the passengers on the emergency procedures. He reported the reason he did not brief them was because he had flown them earlier that day from MKY to EYW, and had briefed them before that flight. Before departure of the accident flight, the weight and balance form reflected that the fuel load was 280 pounds, which agreed with the reading on the fuel quantity indicator. The right fuel quantity was indicating a slightly higher amount than the left. He thought he had an adequate fuel supply for the flight, and operates the engines with both mixture controls in the full rich position. After takeoff, the flight climbed briefly to 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl), then descended to and remained at 2,500 feet msl, and proceeded to the destination airport. When the flight was near the destination airport, he reduced both throttles to 21 inches manifold pressure, and began descending at less than 500 feet-per-minute. Approximately 15 miles from MKY, while flying at 1,500 feet msl, the right engine "coughed a couple times" with corresponding right yaw. He noted the right fuel flow was "down" and described a split between the left and right fuel flow readings. He turned the right auxiliary fuel pump to the low position, and moved the right fuel selector to the "left main" position in an effort to restore engine power. The engine kept surging, so he feathered the right propeller. At that point he advised the passengers to don their life vests, which were located on a shelf behind the 3rd row of seats.

The pilot announced on the MKY common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) that he was operating single-engine, and to clear the traffic pattern. Personnel of a fixed base operator (FBO) at MKY, who heard the communication immediately called 911 to request assistance, and remained in contact with the pilot. The pilot further stated that while flying single-engine, he maintained 120 to 130 knots, and stopped descending at 800 feet msl. At approximately 1758, a pilot with Collier County Sheriff Department Aviation Unit (Collier County SD) was alerted to the need for assistance, and within 4 minutes departed from Naples Municipal Airport (APF) and proceeded to the area where the airplane was reported to be located.

The accident pilot further stated that approximately 4 minutes after the right engine began losing power, and when the flight was 9 miles from MKY, the left engine began indications similar to the right engine, and then quit. The pilot announced on MKY CTAF that he would be ditching and to send help. He switched the left fuel selector to the right main tank position in an effort to restore engine power, which was unsuccessful. He recalled the left propeller did not feather, and in preparation for ditching, reviewed in his mind the ditching procedures, which were full flaps extended and gear up. He slowed to 93 knots, and just before ditching, he placed his arm in front of the 10 year old passenger seated in the copilot's seat. Also, just before ditching, the left and right fuel quantity were indicating 70 and 100 pounds, respectively.

The airplane first contacted the water with the curved portion of the bottom of the fuselage, and lunged forward, then rebounded. After coming to rest, the pilot attempted to open the cabin door but felt resistance. He then opened the emergency exit window, and was able to fully open the cabin door. All occupants exited the airplane from the cabin door, with one passenger reporting he was the last person out of the airplane because he was looking, but could not find a life vest for himself. All occupants then stayed momentarily on one of the wings, but the airplane began to submerge. They then entered the water and the pilot tried to keep everybody together, but it was difficult due to the waves. The pilot helped one passenger inflate the second chamber of her life vest, and noted that another passenger that did not have a life vest was clinging to two of his daughters.

The passenger without the life vest reported that he was clinging to his daughters for support, and contemplated pushing away from them because he was concerned about their safety trying to keep him afloat, but about that time he spotted a helicopter.

The flightcrew of the Collier County SD helicopter that proceeded to the area first spotted the occupants at 1820, or approximately 24 minutes after the ditching, and immediately flew to a nearby boater and motioned for the boater to follow the helicopter. The boater proceeded to the area and all occupants were placed in the boat. Additionally, emergency medical service personnel boarded the boat and remained with the pilot and passengers until their transfer to land, where they were then transported to a hospital. The pilot reported to a Collier County SD individual and also to one passenger, while on the boat, that he ran out of fuel. He also told the passenger that the fuel gauges were incorrect.

The airplane was ditched during daylight hours, approximately 11 nautical miles south-southeast from the center of MKY.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 65, held an ATP certificate with a rating airplane multiengine land. Numerous type ratings for transport category airplanes are listed on his ATP certificate. He also held a commercial pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, and was issued a first-class medical certificate on December 3, 2007. The medical certificate listed a limitation that the holder must have available glasses for near vision and was not valid after December 31, 2008.

The pilot verbally reported to NTSB personnel that he is a retired airline pilot and has flown general aviation type airplanes, having accrued approximately 1,500 hours in various makes and models. The pilot reported on the NTSB “Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report” having a total time of over 18,000 hours, and approximately 200 hours in the accident make and model airplane.

The pilot began his initial ground training with Marco Aviation, Inc., on December 1, 2007, and completed it on January 20, 2008. He began his initial flight training on January 7, 2008, and completed it on January 16, 2008; accruing 15.9 hours. His airman competency/proficiency check in accordance with 14 CFR Part 135.293 and 135.299 occurred on February 4, 2008. He was qualified to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) in Cessna 310R airplanes, and prior to being hired had not previously flown a Cessna 310 type airplane.

Since employment, he reported accruing approximately 200 hours in the accident make and model airplane. For the month of May he logged approximately 40 hours during the course of 52 flights in the accident airplane. For the month of June, excluding the accident date, he logged approximately 29 hours during the course of 38 flights in the accident airplane. On the accident date, excluding the accident flight, he logged 3 flights in the accident airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1978, by Cessna Aircraft Company as model 310R, and was designated serial number 310R1399. It was certificated in accordance with Civil Air Regulation (CAR) 3 and sections of 14 CFR Part 23. It was powered by two 285-horsepower Teledyne Continental Motors IO-520 engines and equipped with two McCauley constant-speed, full-manual-feathering propellers. It was also equipped with three rows of two forward facing seats in each row.

Safety Board review of CAR 3 pertaining to unusable fuel revealed that amount is the amount at which the first sign of a malfunction occurs. With respect to the fuel quantity indicator, the regulation required that it be calibrated to read zero during level flight when the quantity of fuel remaining in the tank is equal to the unusable fuel supply.

The airplane’s fuel system consists of a 51.0 gallon total capacity aluminum tank attached at each wingtip, and also a 32.0 gallon total capacity bladder tank installed in each wing. The total usable capacity of each main and auxiliary fuel tank is 50.0 and 31.5 gallons, respectively. A dual fuel quantity indicator installed in the co-pilot’s instrument panel reflects the quantity of fuel in the tank selected at the fuel selector. The fuel quantity indicating system consists of a capacitance type probe installed in each tank, associated wiring to a signal conditioner installed in each wing, and associated wiring connected to the fuel quantity indicator.

Review of the maintenance records revealed the airplane was last inspected in accordance with a 100-Hour inspection on April 24, 2008; the airplane total time at that time was 8,835.6 hours. The airplane had accumulated 78.3 hours since the last 100-Hour inspection.

Further review of the airframe maintenance records that begin with the first entry dated August 21, 1978, to the last entry dated April 24, 2008, revealed there were two entries indicating calibration of the fuel indicating system. The first entry was dated February 19, 1988, at an airplane total time of 2,707...