# NTSB CEN15LA202: Fairchild SA227 AC, N2691W, Rifle, CO, April 17, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 16, 2015, 22:45 local (Apr 17, 2015, 04:45 UTC) - Place: Rifle, CO - Coordinates: 39.525833, -107.728057 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5258&lon=-107.7281&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 20, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Honeywell Aerospace, FAA Salt Lake City FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 91049 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA202 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91049/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91049 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA202 ## Probable cause The uncontained engine failure due to the fatigue failure of the second-stage turbine rotor disk. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (turbine/turboprop): turbine section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057250): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Fairchild SA227-AC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057250/cases.md?model=3377509), [All aircraft, 74 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057250/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Fairchild SA227-AC, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=3377509), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Enroute-climb to cruise: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Fairchild SA227-AC, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=3377509), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) ## Analysis The commercial pilot departed in the twin-engine airplane for a scheduled, domestic cargo flight. He reported that, during the climb, he heard a "bang," which was followed by a loss of engine power and fire indications from the right engine. The pilot declared an emergency and diverted to another airport for an instrument approach and landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right engine's second-stage turbine rotor had separated. One portion of the rotor exited through the left side of the engine and nacelle structure, penetrated the right side of the fuselage, and came to rest inside the fuselage wall. Other portions of the separated rotor exited through the right side of the engine. The engine and the inside of the nacelle structure exhibited fire damage, but no evidence of a sustained fire was found in that area. The examination of the turbine engine revealed fatigue cracks on the second-stage rotor disk, which indicates that the rotor disk likely failed due to fatigue, and this likely resulted in the uncontained engine failure. ## Factual narrative On April 16, 2015, about 2245 mountain daylight time, a Fairchild SA227-AC, twin-engine airplane, N2691W, operating as Key Lime flight 168, was substantially damaged after an uncontained engine failure during climb near Rifle, Colorado. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to CBG LLC, Wilsonville, Oregon, and was operated by Key Lime Air Corporation, Englewood, Colorado. Dark, night, instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 cargo flight. The airplane departed from Garfield County Regional Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado, at 2237 and was destined for Denver International Airport (DEN), Denver, Colorado The pilot reported that during a climb, when still well below the tops of nearby mountains, he heard a "bang" followed by a complete loss of power and engine fire indications from the right engine. After completing appropriate checklist items, the pilot declared an emergency and diverted to Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Grand Junction, Colorado, for an instrument approach and landing at 2311. The airplane landed without further incident. A post accident examination of the airplane revealed the second stage turbine rotor from the right engine had separated. One portion of the rotor exited through the left side of the engine and nacelle structure, penetrated the right side of the fuselage, and came to rest inside the fuselage wall. Other portions of the separated rotor exited through the right side of the engine. There was thermal damage to the engine and the inside of the nacelle structure, but no evidence of a sustained fire in that area. The examination of the turbine engine noted fatigue cracks on the 2nd stage rotor disk. The rotor disk had a reported 3,901.4 hrs., and 4,143 cycles ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2691W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N2691W), registered now, S/N AC-655B, built 1986 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: FAIRCHILD SA227 AC - Registry model: [Fairchild SA227-AC](https://openairdocs.org/model/fairchild-sa227-ac) (registry code 3377509) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [AiResearch TPE331 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/airesearch-tpe331-series) (registry code 01514, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: AC-655B - Year built: 1986 - Airframe hours: 26855 - Engines: AIRESEARCH TPE331 SERIES 1100 horsepower turbo prop; AIRESEARCH TPE331 SERIES 1100 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Key Lime Air Corporation, doing business as Denver Air Connection - Registered owner: Cbg LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Commuter; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, February 24, 2015 - Departed: RIL, Rifle, CO - Destination: DEN, DENVER, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: RIL, Garfield County Rgnl, runway 26, 7,000 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 8, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,920 total, 1,130 in this make and model, 2,765 as pilot in command, 117 in the last 90 days, 53 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 130° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft overcast - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: KRIL ## 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 20150416004399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150416004399A), Apr 16, 2015: Fairchild SA227-AC, Rifle, CO, Substantial damage. Aircraft departed ril destination den. Climbing through 10K', pilot heard a loud bang, and fire warning was annunciated. Pilot secured the right engine,… ## Other investigations on N2691W (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 NYC92LA128](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC92LA128), Jun 25, 1992: Fairchild SA-227AC (N2691W), Boston, MA, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING RESULTING IN A HARD BOUNCED LANDING AND A COLLISION WITH THE RUNWAY. ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91049. 7.2 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 6.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477076&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records excerpts (item 2, .PDF, 681 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477077&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records%20excerpts-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 3, .PDF, 355 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477078&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Master.PDF - Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1 photo, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477079&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo-Master.PDF - Memorandum for Record (item 5, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40477080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-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.