# NTSB CEN10LA432: Beech A24R, N24584, Muskegon, MI, July 25, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 24, 2010, 20:25 local (Jul 25, 2010, 00:25 UTC) - Place: Muskegon, MI - Coordinates: 43.167499, -86.235275 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.1675&lon=-86.2353&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Grand Rapids FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 76742 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10LA432 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/76742/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76742 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10LA432 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he flew three flight legs before the accident flight. After the third flight leg the airplane was refueled with 42.4 gallons of fuel. He performed a preflight that included checking the fuel for contamination and none was evident. The taxi and pretakeoff engine run-up were normal. The airplane was about 200 feet in the air when the engine started running rough and backfiring. He performed the emergency checklist procedures for engine failure after liftoff by switching fuel tanks and adjusting the mixture, but was not able to successfully address the engine problems. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude so he executed a forced landing to a wooded area less than a mile from the airport. The airplane struck trees and terrain during the forced landing. Much of the airplane structure was consumed by the postimpact fire. The postaccident inspection of the engine and fuel system revealed no preexisting anomalies that would preclude normal engine operation. ## Factual narrative On July 24, 2010, about 2025 eastern daylight time, a Beech A24R, N24584 impacted the terrain after a loss of engine power during the initial climb after departing from the Muskegon County Airport (MKG), Muskegon, Michigan. The airline transport pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was destroyed by a postimpact fire. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight originated from MKG with DuPage Airport (DPA), West Chicago, Illinois, as the intended destination. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported that he flew three flight legs before the accident flight. Earlier in the day he departed DPA and flew to Manistee, Michigan, and then to Cadillac, Michigan, where he dropped off a passenger. He departed Cadillac, Michigan, and flew to MKG, where the airplane was refueled with 42.4 gallons of fuel. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection at MKG that included checking the fuel for contamination. No contamination was evident. The taxi and pre-takeoff engine run-up were normal s was the initial departure. When the airplane was about 200 feet in the air he retracted the landing gear, and the engine started running rough and backfiring. He performed the emergency checklist procedures for engine failure after liftoff. He reported that he switched fuel tanks and adjusted the fuel mixture to try to get the engine to run smoothly. The airplane was losing altitude so he decided against attempting to return to the airport. He banked left in order to avoid some houses and he executed a forced landing in a wooded area. Although he heard the stall warning horn sound, he maintained flying speed. The airplane hit a pine tree and impacted the terrain about 40 feet away from the pine tree, and less than a mile from the airport. A local resident arrived at the scene shortly after the accident occurred. He assisted the pilot in evacuating the airplane. Soon after the pilot escaped from the airplane, the airplane was engulfed in flames and much of the airplane structure was consumed by the fire. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He was a certified flight instructor with single-engine land, multi-engine land, and airplane instrument ratings. He had a total of about 2,504 flight hours with 39 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane. He held a first-class medical certificate. The airplane was a single-engine Beech A24R, serial number MC-125. It had seating for six and the maximum gross weight was 2,635 pounds. The engine was a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-A1B1. The last annual maintenance inspection was conducted on July 7, 2010, and the total airframe time was 2,730 hours at the time of the inspection. A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector examined the airplane at the accident site and at a hanger where the airplane wreckagewas moved for inspection. The flight controls exhibited continuity. The right wing had extensive fire damage. The left wing was largely intact. About 5 – 6 gallons of light blue fluid were drained from the left fuel tank. The cockpit and instrument panel were consumed by fire. The engine exhibited extensive fire damage. The crankshaft was rotated and all the cylinders exhibited “thumb” compression. The bottom spark plugs were removed and appeared clean. The right magneto had spark on all four leads. The left magneto did not spark. Its impulse coupling worked but its wire leads were fire damaged. No fuel was found in the fuel lines or fuel divider. The engine driven fuel pump exhibited sucking action. The fuel servo had fire damage and minor impact damage. The electric fuel boost pump appeared to be jammed. The fuel selector was fire damaged. The fuel selector placard was consumed by fire. Air was blown through the left tank fuel line and through the fuel selector. The air intake was clean and the filter element appeared clean. The propeller remained attached to the engine. All three blades exhibited some degree of aft bending. The following fuel system components were examined at RLB Accessories in Addison, Illinois: 1) Fuel injector servo 2) Engine driven fuel pump 3) Electric boost pump 4) Gascolator, and 5) Fuel selector. The inspection of the fuel servo revealed that the - 2538283 [dash 2538283] seat was fire damaged. A new seat was installed and the fuel servo passed the bench test. The engine driven fuel pump was able to pump fluid when manipulated. The electric boost pump exhibited fire and impact damage. It appeared to be jammed. The motor was removed from the pump and the motor operated when electrical power was applied. The gascolator was intact but fire damaged. The fuel screen was intact but appeared to be discolored from fire damage. The gascolator bowl retaining bolt was loose and there was no safety wire attached. The gascolator fuel inspection valve exhibited impact damage. The fuel selector valve exhibited fire and impact damage. Air could be blown through the fuel lines that led to the left and right fuel tanks when the valve was appropriately positioned. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N24584](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N24584-2011-09-15), registration cancelled 2011-09-15, S/N MC-125, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH A24R - Registry model: [Beech A24R](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a24r) (registry code 1151252) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: MC-125 - Airframe hours: 2730 - Engines: LYCOMING I0360-A1B1 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Christopher F. Porter - Registered owner: Gierloff Richard J - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 20, 2010 - Departed: MKG, Muskegon, MI - Destination: DPA, West Chicago, IL - Airport: MKG, Muskegon County Airport, runway 24, 6,501 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: fatal; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review March 1, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 2,504 total, 39 in this make and model, 1,711 as pilot in command, 112 in the last 90 days, 85 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 200° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 72 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: MKG, 1 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100724039499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100724039499A), Jul 24, 2010: Beech A24R, Destroyed. Aircraft engine lost power on takeoff climb, pilot attempted return to airport to land, aircraft landed in wooded area approximately 1/2 mile from runway. ## Other investigations on N24584 (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 LAX82FA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX82FA156), May 1, 1982: Beech A24R (N24584), Camarillo, CA, substantial damage ## Docket (24 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=76742. 13.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347197&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversation - Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347759&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Record of Component Inspection (item 3, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347554&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Component%20Inspection-Master.PDF - Aircraft Maintenance Logs (item 4, .PDF, 640 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347764&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Maintenance%20Logs-Redacted.PDF - Engine Overhaul Document (item 5, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347477&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Overhaul%20Document-Redacted.PDF - Fuel Records (item 6, .PDF, 152 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347450&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Fuel%20Records-Redacted.PDF - Beechcraft Emergency Procedures for Engine Failure (item 7, .PDF, 352 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347766&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Beechcraft%20Emergency%20Procedures%20for%20Engine%20Failure-Master.PDF - Beechcraft Mandatory Service Bulletin 2053 (item 8, .PDF, 357 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347557&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Beechcraft%20Mandatory%20Service%20Bulletin%202053-Master.PDF - NTSB Wreckage Release (item 9, .PDF, 427 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347987&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Wreckage%20Release-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1. Left wing at accident site. (item 10, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347612&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20Left%20wing%20at%20accident%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Right wing. (item 11, .PDF, 942 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347630&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20Right%20wing.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Wreckage in a hangar. (item 12, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347633&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20Wreckage%20in%20a%20hangar.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Left wing in hangar. (item 13, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347640&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20Left%20wing%20in%20hangar.-Master.PDF - Photo 5. Empennage. (item 14, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347643&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20Empennage.-Master.PDF - Photo 6. Burned cabin, cockpit, and firewall. (item 15, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347644&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20Burned%20cabin,%20cockpit,%20and%20firewall.-Master.PDF - Photo 7. Burned firewall and instrument panel. (item 16, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347646&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207.%20Burned%20firewall%20and%20instrument%20panel.-Master.PDF - Photo 8. View of engine. (item 17, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347647&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208.%20View%20of%20engine.-Master.PDF - Photo 9. View propeller blade. (item 18, .PDF, 997 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347650&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%209.%20View%20propeller%20blade.-Master.PDF - Photo 10. Propeller blade with multiple bends. (item 19, .PDF, 861 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347653&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010.%20Propeller%20blade%20with%20multiple%20bends.-Master.PDF - Photo 11. View of propeller blade with aft bend. (item 20, .PDF, 1.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347655&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2011.%20View%20of%20propeller%20blade%20with%20aft%20bend.-Master.PDF - Photo 12. View of fuel servo. (item 21, .PDF, 58 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347626&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2012.%20View%20of%20fuel%20servo.-Master.PDF - Photo 13. View of engine driven fuel pump. (item 22, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347627&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2013.%20View%20of%20engine%20driven%20fuel%20pump.-Master.PDF - Photo 14. View of boost pump and gascolator. (item 23, .PDF, 63 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347628&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2014.%20View%20of%20boost%20pump%20and%20gascolator.-Master.PDF - Photo 15. View of fuel selector (item 24, .PDF, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40347629&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2015.%20View%20of%20fuel%20selector-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.