OpenAirDocs.org

19970718018949A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Cessna 320E · West Yellowston, MT · July 18, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 18, 1997 · 16:30 local
Place
West Yellowston, MT
Airport
Yellowstone
Phase of flight
Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N3425Q
NTSB investigation
NTSBSEA97LA162
Reported as
Cessna 320E
Reported engine
Continental TSIO520B
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,733 total163 in this make and model15 in the last 90 days
N3425QRegistration cancelled May 21, 1998 · Cessna 320ES/N 320E0025Airframe modelCessna 320E

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft crashed on landing due to a strong crosswind. (.4)the private pilot attempted to compensate for crosswind conditions during final approach in the twin-engine airplane with the use of power. He began to drift off the east (left) side of the runway, and he stated that the right engine did not respond to throttle inputs during the landing. He lost directional control of the airplane and impacted rough, grassy terrain off the edge of the runway. The landing gear collapsed and the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination of both propellers revealed damage consistent with applied power on the left engine, and no power on the right engine. An examination of the maintenance records revealed that the engine had recently been rebuilt by the manufacturer and installed on the airplane. Prior to the accident flight, it underwent an annual inspection and was operated for 6.2 hours during six flights with no problems noted. An examination of the right engine throttle controls and a functional test of the right engine did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical discrepancies that would have resulted in a power loss or hesitation.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON LANDING DUE TO A STRONG CROSSWIND. (.4)THE PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE FOR CROSSWIND CONDITIONS DURING FINAL APPROACH IN THE TWIN-ENGINE AIRPLANE WITH THE USE OF POWER. HE BEGAN TO DRIFT OFF THE EAST (LEFT) SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND HE STATED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUTS DURING THE LANDING. HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND IMPACTED ROUGH, GRASSY TERRAIN OFF THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. EXAMINATION OF BOTH PROPELLERS REVEALED DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH APPLIED POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE, AND NO POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD RECENTLY BEEN REBUILT BY THE MANUFACTURER AND INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, IT UNDERWENT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION AND WAS OPERATED FOR 6.2 HOURS DURING SIX FLIGHTS WITH NO PROBLEMS NOTED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROLS AND A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A POWER LOSS OR HESITATION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA97LA162Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportW. Yellowstone, MTThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing when asymmetric power was applied. A factor was the crosswind conditions.Jul 18, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3425Q · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19970301007859IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Ogden, UTNarrative: during approach, landing gear was electrically lowered green light for nose gear would not come on. Pilot could not manually lower gear. Landed aircraft with nose gear up. Minor damage to nose gear doors, nose fairing and both props: inspection of…Mar 1, 1997