NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 14, 1995, about 2019 eastern daylight time, N577M, a Beechcraft 55-E55 registered to the pilot, Ronald O. Osbon, crashed in Daytona Beach, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated from Shelbyville, Tennessee, about 2 hours 33 minutes earlier the same day.

The flight had originated from West Bend, Wisconsin, earlier in the day and had proceeded to Chicago, Illinois, and then to Shelbyville,. Interviews with ramp service personnel in Shelbyville, revealed that the pilot purchased 80.7 gallons of 100 LL aviation fuel and all four fuel tanks were full on departure from Shelbyville. The flight departed about 1746 EDT. A review of air traffic control transcripts revealed that all communications with the flight were normal until about 2001, when the flight was cleared to descend from 8,000 feet to 4,000 feet. About 2015, the pilot radioed controllers on duty in Daytona Beach, that his right engine was "kicking in and out" The controllers cleared the pilot to land at Daytona Beach Regional Airport. The pilot radioed controllers at about 2017, that "he was losing power on both engines, and was out of gas." The airplane crashed about 3 miles west of the airport and an impact explosion was observed. A postimpact fire ensued and burned for about 5 hours after the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, Ronald O. Osbon was the holder of a private pilot's certificate with ratings for airplane single and multiengine land airplanes. He also had an instrument rating for airplanes. Additional pilot information is included in attachments to this report.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Daytona Beach Regional Airport weather observation at 1955 was: sky clear, visibility 10 miles, temperature 64 degrees fahrenheit, dew point 57 degrees fahrenheit, wind 350 degrees magnetic at 8 knots, altimeter 29.96 inHg.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The main wreckage was located about 3 miles northwest of Daytona Beach Regional Airport in a wooded area. All of the wreckage was massively burned and was in an impact crater, except the right wing outboard of the right engine nacelle, which was found unburned about 150 feet southeast of the main wreckage. The burned landing gear was found in the up position and both engines and propellers were removed from the scene for examination in Mobile, Alabama. The fire damaged fuel selectors were identified and removed for further examination in Wichita, Kansas. The examination of the fuel selectors revealed that both selectors were in the auxiliary position at impact. The engine and propeller examination were conducted with no preimpact failures noted. Copies of the engine, propeller, and fuel selector examinations are attached. The right wing was examined and both the main and auxiliary tank were found empty with no fuel residue around them on the ground nor in the foliage around the wing from the point of impact with the first tree to the place the wing came to rest.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

On April 15, 1995, a postmortem examination of the pilot was conducted by Dr.Ronald Reeves. Dr. Reeves reported the cause of death to be multiple blunt trauma. Toxicological examination of tissues from the pilot was conducted by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and was negative for alcohol and basic and acetic drugs.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Postaccident fuel consumption calculations were performed to account for the right wing being found with no fuel and the left wing with adequate fuel to burn in the fire for 5 hours after the accident. Using the manufacturer's fuel consumption rates, there was exactly enough fuel in the right wing to power both engines for the 2 hour 33 minute flight before power loss. The wreckage was released to Sample International Insurance Adjusters on April 12, 1995.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MANAGE THE FUEL AVAILABLE IN FLIGHT BY IMPROPERLY SELECTING THE FUEL SELECTORS TO FUEL AVAILABLE IN OTHER TANKS, RESULTING IN BOTH ENGINES LOSING POWER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.