318 Recent Fuel Exhaustion and Fuel Starvation Accidents + GA News

In this episode, Max discusses two Challenger jet crashes involving dual engine failures: one in Naples, FL, in February 2024 and another in Nebraska in 1994. The incidents share some similarities.

In the Naples crash, both engines experienced oil pressure warnings within seconds of each other before failing simultaneously. The preliminary report indicates the left landing gear touched down first, followed by the right, before the plane skidded into a concrete barrier. The cabin attendant facilitated passengers' safe evacuation through the tail compartment. The pilots, highly experienced, had a combined flight time of over 35,000 hours. The aircraft, with GE CF34 Series turbofan engines, underwent recent airworthiness inspections and was fuel-soaked post-crash, ruling out fuel exhaustion.

Further examination revealed thermal damage to engine components but no clear cause for the simultaneous engine failures. Discussion with an Challenger jet pilot who listens to the show recalled a similar incident involving a Challenger aircraft that also had a dual engine flameout in 1994.

That crash occurred during a positioning flight after passenger drop-off, after experiencing a dual engine flameout between FL370 and FL410. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during a forced landing at night in an alfalfa field.

Analysis revealed water contamination in the fuel, leading to the engines' failure. Both engines were sent for examination, showing consistent findings with fuel samples. The NTSB attributed the crash to inadequate planning, decision-making, and preflight inspections following fuel contamination.

Comparing the two crashes, both had simultaneous dual engine failures occurring around two hours into flight, and both had a yellow liquid in the fuel. At this point, the cause of the Naples crash is still unknown, though Cockpit Voice Recorder and Flight Data Recorder analysis should provide new clues.

The episode underscores the importance of fuel contamination awareness, and the necessity for thorough preflight inspections and proper response to warning signs.

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