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20040318003909I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Cessna 414A · Midland, TX · March 18, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 18, 2004 · 18:24 local
Place
Midland, TX
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N414FB
NTSB investigation
NTSBFTW04IA104
Reported as
Cessna 414A
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
2,800 total151 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days
N414FBRegistered now · Cessna 414AS/N 414A1203 · Built 1984Airframe modelCessna 414AEngine 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) On March 18, 2004, N414FB, a Cessna model 414A aircraft, was departing Midland international airport (maf) enroute to lancaster, Texas, when the pilot noticed the fuel flow and hydraulics systems had become inoperative. The aircraft engine controls became too stiff to operate. At this point the pilot requested to return to maf, deviating from this intended flight plan. He performed an emergency landing gear extension due to loss of the aircraft hydraulic system. The plane landed without further incident. The pilot was unable to shut down the number two engines due to stiff engine control cable, but successfully obtained engine shut down by positioning the number two engine magnetos to "off". Further investigation revealed a fire occurred in the right wing just inboard of the nacelle in the wing leading edge area. There was evidence of enough heat damage to melt through electrical wiring, fluid carrying hoses, aluminum tubing, and evidence of possible heat damage to the wing structure of the aircraft.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON MARCH 18, 2004, N414FB, A CESSNA MODEL 414A AIRCRAFT, WAS DEPARTING MIDLAND INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (MAF) ENROUTE TO LANCASTER, TEXAS, WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE FUEL FLOW AND HYDRAULICS SYSTEMS HAD BECOME INOPERATIVE. THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE CONTROLS BECAME TOO STIFF TO OPERATE. AT THIS POINT THE PILOT REQUESTED TO RETURN TO MAF, DEVIATING FROM THIS INTENDED FLIGHT PLAN. HE PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING GEAR EXTENSION DUE TO LOSS OF THE AIRCRAFT HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE PLANE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SHUT DOWN THE NUMBER TWO ENGINES DUE TO STIFF ENGINE CONTROL CABLE, BUT SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED ENGINE SHUT DOWN BY POSITIONING THE NUMBER TWO ENGINE MAGNETOS TO "OFF". FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FIRE OCCURRED IN THE RIGHT WING JUST INBOARD OF THE NACELLE IN THE WING LEADING EDGE AREA. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF ENOUGH HEAT DAMAGE TO MELT THROUGH ELECTRICAL WIRING, FLUID CARRYING HOSES, ALUMINUM TUBING, AND EVIDENCE OF POSSIBLE HEAT DAMAGE TO THE WING STRUCTURE OF THE AIRCRAFT.

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 FTW04IA104Incident · No injuriesIncident investigationFinal reportMidland, TXThe in-flight wing fire for undetermined reasons.Mar 19, 2004 · Minor damage