ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 41537
Last updated: 24 May 2013
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| Date: | 28-MAR-1989 |
| Time: | 1834 |
| Type: |  Cessna 421 |
| Operator: | private |
| Registration: | N4595L |
| C/n / msn: | 0195 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Airplane damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Brownsville, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Brownsville, TX (BRO) |
THE NEWLY HIRED CORPORATE PILOT STARVED THE RIGHT ENGINE OF FUEL ON THE MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANE WHILE ON A LOCAL AREA SELF CHECKOUT IN THE AIRPLANE. HE DID NOT FEATHER THE RIGHT PROPELLER. AT THE TIME OF THE NON-MECHANICAL LOSS OF POWER, THE AIRPLANE WAS IN LOW LEVEL (600 FEET AGL) CRUISE. THE PILOT LOWERED THE FLAPS TO 45 DEGREES AND EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR TO THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION. THE AIRPLANE'S AIRSPEED DECREASED BELOW VMC AND THE AIRPLANE STALLED, WENT OUT OF CONTROL, AND IMPACTED OPEN RANCH LAND NOSE LOW, IN A VERTICAL DESCENT ANGLE. A POST-IMPACT FIRE OCCURRED. THE PILOT LACKED KNOWLEDGE OF THE AIRPLANE SYSTEMS AND LACKED EXPERIENCE IN THE CESSNA 421. CAUSE: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE AFTER LOSSING POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL SPEED (VMC), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FUEL STARVATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT, AND HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUEL SYSTEM.
Sources:
NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X27890
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
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