19990828043859A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 414 · Alpine, TX · August 28, 1999

Date: August 28, 1999 · 10:15 local
Place: Alpine, TX
Airport: Alpine/Casparis Municipal Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N67JM
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW99LA241
Reported as: Cessna 414

N67JMRegistration cancelled Nov 22, 2002 · Cessna 414S/N 414-0066 · Built 1970 Airframe modelCessna 414 Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23)The pilot reported that the left engine was surging during the climb which never exceeded 150 feet. After unsuccessfully attempting to correct the engine problem which included selecting high boost pump, the pilot decided to concentrate on landing the a/c in a residential area without hitting a house. The a/c came to rest in an open field and caught fire. Post accident investigation revealed the left engine, left magneto was inoperative and the right magneto was only firing on three cylinders. When the pilot selected high boost pump he flooded the engine, compounded by the inoperative magnetos causing a loss of thrust from the critical left engine. The left wing locker fuel cap was found to be open and fuel had been sloshing out. The PIC did not feather the left prop and was unable to maintain altitude. This emergency was compounded by the fact that the a/c was over the maximum weight.

As the FAA filed it

(-23)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SURGING DURING THE CLIMB WHICH NEVER EXCEEDED 150 FEET. AFTER UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE ENGINE PROBLEM WHICH INCLUDED SELECTING HIGH BOOST PUMP, THE PILOT DECIDED TO CONCENTRATE ON LANDING THE A/C IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA WITHOUT HITTING A HOUSE. THE A/C CAME TO REST IN AN OPEN FIELD AND CAUGHT FIRE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT ENGINE, LEFT MAGNETO WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE RIGHT MAGNETO WAS ONLY FIRING ON THREE CYLINDERS. WHEN THE PILOT SELECTED HIGH BOOST PUMP HE FLOODED THE ENGINE, COMPOUNDED BY THE INOPERATIVE MAGNETOS CAUSING A LOSS OF THRUST FROM THE CRITICAL LEFT ENGINE. THE LEFT WING LOCKER FUEL CAP WAS FOUND TO BE OPEN AND FUEL HAD BEEN SLOSHING OUT. THE PIC DID NOT FEATHER THE LEFT PROP AND WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THIS EMERGENCY WAS COMPOUNDED BY THE FACT THAT THE A/C WAS OVER THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT.

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 FTW99LA241Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAlpine, TXThe pilot's improper use of the emergency fuel boost pump, which resulted in excessive fuel flow to the engine and subsequent total loss of left engine power. Factor's were the high density altitude, the pilot exceeding the airplane's weight and balance, the…Aug 28, 1999 · Destroyed