NTSB: Wrong fuel blamed in August plane crash near Fulton

An airplane crash near Fulton on Fri., Aug. 21 that left four people injured was caused by the aircraft being fueled with the wrong type of fuel, according to findings released by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB’s investigation into the crash of a Cessna 421, registration N28RH, found that the aircraft had been fueled with 145 gallons of Jet-A fuel before departing. The airplane was designed to operate on aviation gasoline, commonly known as avgas. The NTSB docket for the investigation was publicly released Oct. 1.
The aircraft departed the Fulton area shortly after 1 p.m. on Aug. 21. The pilot reported that while climbing after takeoff, the No. 1 cylinder on the right engine began running hot.
The pilot leveled the airplane at approximately 5,000 feet, but the cylinder continued to run hot. He then feathered the propeller and shut down the right engine.
As the pilot attempted to reach an airport, the remaining engine also began to lose power. The airplane could no longer maintain altitude, and approximately two miles from the airport the pilot made a forced landing in a cornfield.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including damage to the right engine mount, fuselage and empennage. Four people were aboard, with two suffering serious injuries and two sustaining minor injuries. No fatalities were reported. The FAA also confirmed that a Cessna 421C crashed in a field near Fulton Airport on Aug. 21 with four people aboard.
According to the NTSB report, a first responder at the crash scene noticed that fuel from the aircraft appeared clear rather than blue and smelled like diesel fuel. A paper-towel sample also did not show the blue staining normally associated with aviation gasoline.
The subsequent investigation determined that the airplane had been fueled with Jet-A.
The fueler told investigators that he had topped off the airplane with what he described as “pre-mixed Jet-A.” The airport manager confirmed that Jet-A had been used, and a fuel receipt signed by the pilot documented the purchase of 145 gallons.
The pilot told investigators that he had not specifically told the fueler that he wanted 100LL aviation gasoline. He said he read the fuel receipt after the airplane was fueled, but the group was anxious to get home and departed without conducting a fuel inspection or sampling the tanks.