# Accident 20200423012929A: Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47, Mesquite, TX, April 23, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 23, 2020, 03:34 local time
- Place: Mesquite, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 2B5A
- Location: 32.7617° N, 96.5319° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7617&lon=-96.5319&mi=10
- Aircraft: N477SS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N477SS-2021-10-02) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Pilatus PC-12/47 (registry code 7090552, https://openairdocs.org/model/pilatus-pc-12-47) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-67B (registry code 52158, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-67b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PILATUS AIRCRAFT LTD PC-12/47
- Reported engine: P&W CANADA PT6A-67B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,283 total, 1,137 in this make and model, 87 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA159) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200423012929A

## Narrative

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

ON 2020-04-23 AT APPROX 1534 LOCAL TIME A PILATUS PC12-47 OPERATED BY ^BOUTIQUE AIR LLCV PART 135 (2B5A), IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER ENGINE FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED DFW FOR MUSCLE SHOALS ALABAMA KMSL ON A PART 91 POSITIONING FLIGHT

1700 LOCAL RECEIVED POSITION REPORT FOR THE CRASH SITE.

RESPONDED TO LAWSON ROAD JUST NORTH OF E. SCYENE ROAD APPROX 32.761897, -96.523403. AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED IN A FLOOD PLAIN AREA CONSISTING OF HEAVY MUD. ACCESS DIFFICULT. THE PILOT HAD BEEN PULLED FROM THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A WITNESS LOCATED AT HQZ AIRPORT WHO SAW THE AIRCRAFT GO DOWN. BY COINCIDENCE THE WITNESS IS A FORMER PILOT FOR THE ACCIDENT OPERATOR AND HAD TAKEN CELL PHONE VIDEO OF THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE FROM HIS LOCATION AT HQZ.

THE WRECKAGE WAS IN TWO MAIN AREAS WITH THE FUSELAGE/TAIL SITTING ON ITS BELLY, WINGS TORN OFF, FACING IN A GENERAL SOUTHERLY DIRECTION. THE ENGINE WAS DISLODGED AND TORQUED OVER WITH ALL FOUR PROP BLADES BROKEN OFF APPROX 12 INCHES FROM THE HUB. NONE EXHIBITED SIGNS OF ENGINE POWER.

THE CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN AND THE INTERIOR BLASTED WITH MUD. EVIDENCE IT CAME OPEN DURING THE GROUND IMPACT SEQUENCE.

THE WINGS WERE BOTH CO-LOCATED APPROX 50 FEET FROM THE FUSELAGE AND WERE PARTIALLY CONSUMED BY POST CRASH FIRE. ONE MAIN GEAR LEG WAS FOUND A FEW YARDS AWAY FROM THE WINGS. THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE DUE TO FALLING DAYLIGHT AND EXTREME MUD.

ACCESSING THE CABIN FOUND MUD THROWN ALL IN THE DOORWAY AND AFT INTO THE CABIN. THE CABIN AREA WAS FAIRLY INTACT. VERIFIED THE CERTIFICATE OF AIRWORTHINESS AND REGISTRATION WERE ONBOARD AND ACCURATE.

ACCESSING THE COCKPIT FOUND IT INTACT WITH EVIDENCE OF MUD. THE GEAR HANDLE WAS NOTED IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THE POWER CONTROL AT MAX, MANUAL OVERSPEED AT OFF, FLAPS AT ZERO, CONDITION LEVER AT GROUND IDLE, FUEL EMERGENCY SHUTOFF'S WERE NOT PULLED. THIS INSPECTOR TURNED OFF THE ELT AND ALL SD AND MEMORY CARDS WERE REMOVED TO INCLUDE THE GARMIN CARD, BENDIX KING KMD 550/250, TWO JEPPESEN IFRW CARDS AND THE ECMS CARD.

AT THE WING LOCATIONS THE OTHER MAIN WAS FOUND UNDER ITS ASSOCIATED WING. THE NLG WAS NOT LOCATED. IT WAS EVIDENT THE FUSELAGE HAD SKIDDED ON ITS BELLY, SIDEWAYS AWAY FROM THE WINGS TO WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY LOCATED. IT DID NOT BARREL ROLL. FUEL/HYDRAULIC OIL SATURATION WAS EVIDENT IN THE MUD.

2020-04-24 - RETRIEVAL FIRM BEGAN RECOVERY AT 0730. THIS INSPECTOR ARRIVED ONSITE WITH THE ASSIGNED OPS INSP AT 0900. THE FUSELAGE WAS RETRIEVED USING AN EXCAVATOR. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ABLE TO ACCESS THE INITIAL IMPACT LOCATION AND FOUND TWO BROKEN PROPELLER BLADES IN THE AREA, NEITHER SHOWING SIGNS THE ENGINE WAS AT POWER ON IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETRIEVED WITH NO ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND TAKEN TO ASOD FOR STORAGE.

## 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 CEN20LA159](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA159), Apr 23, 2020: Pilatus PC12 (N477SS), Mesquite, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power due to a mis-rigged beta control cable (propeller reversing cable), which resulted in a loss of thrust inflight.

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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