19991226044249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr VELCITY173RG · Richmond, VA · December 26, 1999

Date
December 26, 1999 · 15:14 local
Place
Richmond, VA
Airport
Chesterfield County Airport
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N242JP
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD00LA014
Reported as
Amtr VELCITY173RG
Reported engine
Continental IO360*
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,300 total3 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

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) See attached pilot statement (.4) the pilot reported that 2 to 3 minutes after takeoff, the cockpit filled with thick smoke that smelled of burning oil, and the engine oil temperature registered above the upper limit. The pilot turned the airplane back for the departure airport and configured the airplane for landing. No corresponding increase in thrust was realized from increased engine power and propeller RPM adjustments, so the landing gear was raised in an attempt to extend glide performance. The airport could not be reached, and the pilot performed an off-airport landing. Inspection of the airplane's engine revealed an open threaded hole on the right side of the prop governor drive adapter. Further investigation revealed a 90 degree fitting attached to a hose laying on the bottom of the cowling. Visual and tactile inspections of the governor drive adapter housing revealed that threads were still present, but were damaged. The 90 degree fitting was made of steel, and the governor drive adapter of soft aluminum. An FAA airworthiness inspector stated that with the propeller governor oil line disconnected, the oil supply would pump ove rboard and the pilot would lose all control of propeller RPM.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SEE ATTACHED PILOT STATEMENT (.4) THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 2 TO 3 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE COCKPIT FILLED WITH THICK SMOKE THAT SMELLED OF BURNING OIL, AND THE ENGINE OIL TEMPERATURE REGISTERED ABOVE THE UPPER LIMIT. THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRPLANE BACK FOR THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING. NO CORRESPONDING INCREASE IN THRUST WAS REALIZED FROM INCREASED ENGINE POWER AND PROPELLER RPM ADJUSTMENTS, SO THE LANDING GEAR WAS RAISED IN AN ATTEMPT TO EXTEND GLIDE PERFORMANCE. THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE REACHED, AND THE PILOT PERFORMED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE REVEALED AN OPEN THREADED HOLE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE PROP GOVERNOR DRIVE ADAPTER. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A 90 DEGREE FITTING ATTACHED TO A HOSE LAYING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE COWLING. VISUAL AND TACTILE INSPECTIONS OF THE GOVERNOR DRIVE ADAPTER HOUSING REVEALED THAT THREADS WERE STILL PRESENT, BUT WERE DAMAGED. THE 90 DEGREE FITTING WAS MADE OF STEEL, AND THE GOVERNOR DRIVE ADAPTER OF SOFT ALUMINUM. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR STATED THAT WITH THE PROPELLER GOVERNOR OIL LINE DISCONNECTED, THE OIL SUPPLY WOULD PUMP OVE RBOARD AND THE PILOT WOULD LOSE ALL CONTROL OF PROPELLER RPM.

NTSB investigation

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