# Accident 19990405003079A: Dhav DHC6, West Palm Beach, FL, April 5, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 5, 1999, 09:45 local time
- Place: West Palm Beach, FL
- Airport: Palm Beach County Park Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR)
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: ISUA
- Location: 26.5801° N, 80.0696° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5801&lon=-80.0696&mi=10
- Aircraft: N838MA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N838MA-2000-03-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Dehavilland DHC-6 TWIN OTTER (registry code 2802606, https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-6-twin-otter) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: DHAV DHC6
- Reported engine: PWA PT6A20
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total, 200 in this make and model, 250 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA067) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990405003079A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ISUA AIR TAXI ACFT EXPERIENCED #2 ENGINE PROBLEMS AFTER TAKE-OFF AND RETURNED TO LAND ON RWY 3, WHILE N838MA WAS ON SHORT FINAL ANOTHER ACFT PULLED ONTO THE RWY, N838MA ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND BUT CRASHED INTO A WOODED AREA NEAR THE ARPT, THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED, ALL 10 POB SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, HE COMPLETED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE THAT INCLUDED CHECKING THE ENGINE OIL QUANTITY. THE LINE PERSONNEL TOPPED OFF THE OIL RESERVOIRS, AND REPORTEDLY SECURED THE ENGINE OIL RESERVOIR FILLER CAPS.  APPROXIMATELY TWO MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED.  THE PILOT INFORMED PALM BEACH APPROACH CONTROL OF THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE PROBLEM, SHUT DOWN THE RIGHT ENGINE, AND RETURNED TO LANTANA.  AS THE FLIGHT APPROACHED RUNWAY 03, THE PILOT HEARD A RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM ANOTHER AIRPLANE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF. AS THE PILOT CONTINUED THE APPROACH, WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED, HE ELECTED TO GO-AROUND 1500 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE 3000-FOOT RUNWAY.  THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND DURING THE GO-AROUND MANEUVER TO RUNWAY 15. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION ALSO DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT COWLING SHOWED OIL STREAMING BACK FROM BEHIND THE ENGINE AND ONTO THE WING STRUT.  INSPECTION OF THE OIL FILLER CAP REVEALED THAT IT HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY INSTALLED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL99LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA067), Apr 5, 1999: de Havilland DHC-6-200 (N838MA), Lantana, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to secure the engine oil filler cap during the preflight inspection that resulted the subsequent loss of engine power, and his in-flight decision to attempt a single engine…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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