- Date
- June 24, 1989, 11:30 local (15:30 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8271FCessna 401
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 18, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890624017479A
- Case key
- 8041
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Improper maintenance by other maintenance personnel and excessive fuel pressure to the right engine (rich mixture). A possible contributing factor was the worn/unserviceable internal lock nut in the fuel pump.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt rprtd that drg takeoff, the rgt eng lost pwr as the acft was climbing thru aprx 50' AGL. He elected to shut downboth engs & abort the takeoff by landing with the gear retracted. The acft skidded off the rgt side of the rwy. An exam of the rgt eng revealed hvy sooting of the spark plugs & exhaust sys. When the rgt eng was restarted after the acdnt, it initially ran rough, appeared to have a rich mixture & black smoke came from the exhaust. Evidence of excessive fuel pressure was noted. The fuel injector pump was changed, then the eng ran normally. An inspn of the pump revealed the low pressure adjustment bolt could be rotated with fingers. Disassembly of the pump disclosed the internal lock nut was worn & unserviceable. Maint records showed that eng problems had been rprtd on previous flts. On 6/21/89, the (right eng) turbocontroller & fuel pump were adjusted for both high & low pressures. Procedures at the maint facility for turbocharged engs were not iaw teledyne Continental svc bulletin M89-10.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8271F
- Reported as
- Cessna 401
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 245
- Airframe hours
- 2,633
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Harvey Montague
- Registered owner
- Montaque Building Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1988 · 199 hours before
- Airport
- 5W5 · Triple "W", runway 34, 3,000 × 40 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,479 total · 269 in this make and model · 1,479 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.