During the transpacific flight, the Cirrus SR22 pilot was unable to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks.
Despite multiple attempts to troubleshoot the fuel system issue, he was unable to correct the situation.
After transferring fuel from the forward auxiliary fuel tank to both main fuel tanks, he estimated that there was only enough fuel in the main tanks to reach within about 200 miles of land, so he decided to divert to a nearby cruise ship.
Once the airplane was in the immediate vicinity of the cruise ship, he activated the airplane’s parachute system, the parachute deployed, and the plane descended under the canopy into the ocean near Maui, Hawaii.
He immediately exited the airplane and inflated an emergency life raft; he was recovered from the water a short time later.
The airplane subsequently became submerged in the water and was not recovered.
The reason for the pilot’s inability to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks could not be determined.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s inability to transfer fuel from the aft auxiliary fuel tank to the main fuel tanks for reasons that could not be determined because the airplane was ditched and not recovered.
NTSB Identification: WPR15LA089
This January 2015 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The airplane was being delivered to the owner in Australia according to an AOPA article. Many years ago I was given an excellent suggestion by an FAA Inspector during a check flight that I have followed ever since. When in an airplane where it will be necessary to switch tanks, the suggestion was to assure that you could draw fuel from each tank before takeoff. So for example in a Piper PA-28, start the engine and taxi on one tank (the less-full tank if there’s a difference), then prior to run-up, switch to the other or fuller tank for the run-up and takeoff, making sure there are no last minute changes before taking the runway. Following this general procedure of checking fuel flow from all tanks before takeoff, maybe the problem could have been discovered before takeoff. There are also individuals who fly their personal aircraft over some long stretches of water. I know someone who went from CT to Europe (not non-stop) in his Cherokee Six with an aux tank added, so this is an activity some pilots choose to take.
Pretty common for aircraft to be ferried for delivery to remote areas of the world. It’s a specialized job with the aircraft equipped with additional ferry fuel tanks to extend the aircraft range.
“Doomed Plane Parachutes to Safety / Pilot Exclusive” / ABC News Good Morning America 1/29/15
My god, the waste of SO MUCH MONEY…and yeah, what was he doing way the hell out over the Pacific?
Ferry flight. Gotta get the plane there somehow. As far as I know, they don’t have ships to transfer the plane, and if they did, it might be even MORE expensive.
Perhaps I’m missing something here, but my first question would be why would any sane person attempt to fly a Cirrus across the Pacific??
This is an old story from last year. It was a ferry flight taking the plane to New Zealand.