Transtar Aviation

Beechcraft D18

The aircraft contacted the terrain with the left wing tip, cartwheeled and came to rest inverted during an ILS runway 12 approach at Huntington (HTS). Minimum approach visibility for the ILS is 3/4 of a mile. While en route the pilot was informed the HTS visibility was 1/8 of a mile. A missed approach was performed on the first ILS. During the missed approach climb the transponder code in the aircraft was changed to 7600. Radar data indicated that after the 2nd ILS approach, the aircraft made a climbing left turn. When approximately 2 miles southeast of the airport, at 2,100 feet, the aircraft made a sharp right turn. The radar target disappeared shortly thereafter. The aircraft contacted the terrain on a heading of 260° between runway 30 and the parallel taxiway. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Beechcraft D18

The aircraft crashed during an ILS approach following an engine power loss while on an air taxi freight flight. The pilot related that at about 550 feet on the approach to runway 23 the left engine fuel pressure warning light illuminated and the left engine lost power. The pilot opened the crossfeed valve and shortly the right fuel pressure warning light illuminated followed by a loss of power on the right engine. Investigation revealed that there is one fuel gauge for the tank system and a selector switch must be activated to determine the fuel quantity in any desired tank. The pilot's action in selecting crossfeed and not closing the fuel shut off valve allowed fuel to be diverted from the operative right engine resulting in a loss of power due to fuel starvation. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.