20041214033619A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Pilats PC-12/45 · South Bend, IN · December 14, 2004

Date: December 14, 2004 · 13:15 local
Place: South Bend, IN
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N922RG
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI05LA045
Reported as: Pilats PC1245
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A67B
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,000 total60 in this make and model100 in the last 90 days

N922RGRegistration cancelled Nov 16, 2006 · Pilatus PC-12/45S/N 409 · Built 2001 Airframe modelPilatus PC-12/45 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67BTurbo-prop

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 single engine Pilatus PC-12, N922RG departed on a flight from sbn at 13:05 to white plains. While climbing through 6000 ft. under IFR, the aircraft lost power and engine rolled back approximately 5 degrees. Flames were observed out of the engine exhaust. The pilot felt engine compressor surges and the engine caged. Pilot declared an emergency and asked for vectors to airport 15 miles away. Aircraft broke out at 3000 feet, 7 miles from airport. Pilot told ATC that he was looking for an area to land. The aircraft landed in a congested area on us hwy 933. Before touching down, the aircraft struck a traffic signal light and at least 2 power lines over the hi-way. The aircraft landed near the right side of the hi-way and managed to avoid heavy traffic. The right wing struck 2 telephone poles and ruptured spewing fuel. There was no fire when the aircraft came to rest and the 4 passengers and 1 crewmember deplaned without injury.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE SINGLE ENGINE PILATUS PC-12, N922RG DEPARTED ON A FLIGHT FROM SBN AT 13:05 TO WHITE PLAINS. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 6000 FT. UNDER IFR, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND ENGINE ROLLED BACK APPROXIMATELY 5 DEGREES. FLAMES WERE OBSERVED OUT OF THE ENGINE EXHAUST. THE PILOT FELT ENGINE COMPRESSOR SURGES AND THE ENGINE CAGED. PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ASKED FOR VECTORS TO AIRPORT 15 MILES AWAY. AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT AT 3000 FEET, 7 MILES FROM AIRPORT. PILOT TOLD ATC THAT HE WAS LOOKING FOR AN AREA TO LAND. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A CONGESTED AREA ON US HWY 933. BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TRAFFIC SIGNAL LIGHT AND AT LEAST 2 POWER LINES OVER THE HI-WAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED NEAR THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HI-WAY AND MANAGED TO AVOID HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK 2 TELEPHONE POLES AND RUPTURED SPEWING FUEL. THERE WAS NO FIRE WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AND THE 4 PASSENGERS AND 1 CREWMEMBER DEPLANED WITHOUT INJURY.

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 CHI05LA045Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSouth Bend, INFailure of the fuel control unit (FCU) bellows which resulted in a significant loss of engine power and the pilot's encounter with unsuitable terrain during the subsequent forced landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's inadvertent exceedence of the…Dec 14, 2004 · Substantial damage