CHI04GA130

The 1999 Cessna T206H was operated as a public aircraft when the pilot reported a loss of engine power during cruise flight about 1,150 feet above ground level. Spectrum analysis of air traffic control transmissions indicate that a propeller speed of 1,669 revolutions per minute was present following the loss of engine power. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed with recorded surface winds from the northeast. Witnesses reported that they heard several attempted engine restarts while the airplane was being positioned for a forced landing on a 500-foot long fallow agricultural field north of a house. A witness reported that black smoke would emanate from the airplane during each start attempt. The airplane's wing and horizontal stabilizer contacted trees near the house resulting in a steep descent into the garage adjacent to the house. A post crash fire/explosion then ensued. The Airframe & Powerplant Mechanics Handbook states that a mixture "too rich" is indicated by black smoke. Examination of the airplane systems and related components revealed that the turbocharger could not be rotated and a hydraulic press was utilized to effect the removal of the turbocharger turbine wheel. The engine crankcase halves exhibited fretting, and the nut of one crankcase thru-bolt was not in place. Maintenance records indicate that the crankshaft was replaced in response to airworthiness directives and service bulletins. No other anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were found. In 1994, the National Transportation Safety Board issued recommendation A-94-081 relating to emergency procedures for turbocharger failures to be included in airplane pilot operating handbooks (POHs) and airplane flight manuals. The Cessna T206H POH does not list emergency procedures for turbocharger failures. The Cessna T206H POH states, under emergency procedures, to advance the mixture control to the rich position if restart does not occur. The manufacturer's airplane pilot safety supplement, which was reissued in 1998 to incorporate turbocharger failures, states that "If a turbocharger failure results in a loss of power, it may be further complicated by an overly rich mixture." A review of the emergency exit procedures in Cessna 206 models shows that with the flaps lowered, the forward portion of the cargo door can only be opened approximately 4 inches to allow the aft portion of the cargo door to be opened during emergency egress. The distance between the cabin roof and seat back was measured to be approximately 11 inches.

History of flight

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On May 28, 2004, at 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna T206H, N9548D, operated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, was destroyed on impact with a detached garage belonging to a single-family home in Homer Glen, Illinois. The pilot reported a loss of engine power to air traffic control during cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 flight was operating without a flight plan. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The positioning flight originated from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Chicago, Illinois, at 1423, and was en route to Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS), Chesterfield, Missouri.

According to an employee at the front counter of MDW Signature Flight Support, the airplane arrived at 1315-1330. The pilot approached the front counter and requested a "top off" and stated that he would be going "right back out." The employee, who saw the pilot a couple of times a week, said the pilot "seemed fine and his usual self" after talking to him for about 5-10 minutes. The employee stated that the pilot never complained about the airplane and did not report any mechanical related problems with the airplane to her. The pilot sat in the lobby for a "couple" of minutes with the passenger he arrived with.

The passenger, who accompanied the pilot on the flight to MDW, reported that pilot the did not indicate that there were any mechanical problems with the airplane. The passenger also reported that he did not notice any such problems during the flight to MDW.

A Signature Flight Support line service employee, who serviced the airplane, stated that the airplane arrived approximately 1300. The pilot asked him to "top off" the airplane. The line service employee then used the "100LL truck" to fill the right wing tank with 25.8 gallons of fuel and the left tank with 26 gallons of fuel.

According to the operator, the airplane was en route to SUS for a scheduled 50-hour maintenance inspection of the airplane.

At 1347, a person representing N9548D called Kankakee Automated Flight Service Station by telephone and obtained a standard preflight briefing for the MDW and SUS areas.

A partial transcript of transmissions by: N9548D; MDW Clearance Delivery (CD); MDW Air Traffic Control Tower, Ground 2 (GC); MDW Air Traffic Control Tower, Local Control 2 (LC); MDW Air Traffic Control Tower, Approach Control 2, (AP); and an Unknown entity follows.

1406:31, N9548D, "midway clearance cessna nine fi nine five four eight delta cessna two oh six at signature with victor i'll ah be v f r southbound two one seven degrees to bloomington"

1406:40, CD, "is it two one seven"

1406:42, N9548D, "ahh four eight delta correct two one seven degrees"

1406:49, CD, "kay can you pick a different heading that's not ah flying up the arrival corridor"

1406:55, N9548D, "okay would two seven zero be okay for now"

1406:58, CD, "okay standby and was that four eight delta"

1407:01, N9548D, "correct nine five four eight delta"

1407:07, CD, "four eight delta maintain v f r below two thousand in class charlie airspace departure frequency is one one niner point four five squawk five one seven five"

1407:17, N9548D, "(unintelligible) nine five four eight delta v f r below two thousand in charlie nineteen forty five and five one seven five on the squawk"

1407:23, CD, "readback correct"

1408:00, N9548D, "midway ground nine five four eight deltas a two oh six ready to taxi from signature"

1408:31, GC, "okay four six delta did you call me"

1408:34, N9548D, "nine five four eight delta from signature"

1408:36, GC, "okay four eight delta midway ground out of signature join the whiskey taxiway taxi to runway four left"

1412:45, N9548D, "midway tower nine five four eight delta ready in sequence four left"

1412:48, LC, "roger"

1418:07, LC, "four eight delta midway tower runway four left full length available taxi into position and hold"

1418:12, N9548D, "position and hold four eight delta"

1423:01, LC, "and four eight delta you want a two ninety heading"

1423:05, N9548D, "(unintelligible) four eight delta if it'll work out for you a two seventy'd be probably better"

1423:09, LC, "okay"

1423:19, LC, "and cessna four eight delta now turn left heading three six zero runway four left cleared for takeoff"

1423:27, N9548D, "three six zero four eight delta"

1424:53, LC, "four eight delta now turn left on course heading two niner zero"

1424:57, N9548D, "two niner zero four eight delta"

1424:59, LC, "and four eight delta i'm going to wait for a citation to depart three one center until you get over the ah three one center departure corridor so if you can ah give me your best forward speed ac across that"

1425:10, N9548D, "four eight delta"

1425:31, LC, "four eight delta contact chica midway approach on one one niner point four five"

1425:34, N9548D, "nineteen forty five four eight delta"

1425:43, N9548D, "midway radar nine five four eight delta one thousand four hundred"

1425:45, AP, "seven five four eight delta midway departure you're radar contact where you headed"

1425:50, N9548D, "nine five four eight delta bloomington"

1425:53, AP, "alright"

1426:12, AP, "nine five four eight delta you can fly heading two two zero now"

1426:16, N9548D, "two two zero four eight delta"

1427:00, AP, "cessna niner five four eight delta traffic for you's about ah ten o'clock three miles just crossed the final for four right northwest bound sixteen hundred feet a twin engine travelair"

1427:10, N9548D, "four eight delta's looking"

1427:33, AP, "cessna four eight delta that traffics about ah ten o'clock and two miles now northwest bound one thousand seven hundred twin engine"

1427:41, N9548D, "four eight delta still looking no ah traffic in sight"

1427:45, AP, "traffic is ah you see you see the traffic four eight delta"

1427:47, N9548D, "four eight delta traffic in sight"

1430:56, AP, "cessna four eight delta you're ahh ten and a half miles southwest of midway airport you can resume your own navigation ah did you want to leave the frequency or stay on for advisories"

1431:03, N9548D, "four eight delta i'll leave frequency"

1431:05, AP, "four eight delta roger radar service terminated frequency change approved have a good flight today"

1431:08, N9548D, "four eight delta thank you"

1431:40, N9548D, "midway midway (unintelligible) cessna four eight delta (unintelligible) i just lost my engine"

1431:45, AP, "four eight delta say your intentions"

1431:48, N9548D, "four eight delta * (click) * (click)"

1431:54, AP, "check your fuel"

1431:58, N9548D, "four eight delta yes sir"

1432:10, AP, "check your is your fuel turned on down on the floor there four eight delta"

1432:14, Unknown, "(unintelligible)"

1432:16, Unknown, "affirmative"

A witness stated, "I observed the plane flying west going over Long Run Creek. I heard the pilot trying to start the engine at least two times. He then turned to the south and I could again hear the pilot trying to start the engine at least four or five times. The engine would kick over and die out immediately. The propeller was turning slowly because he was trying to start the engine. There was no smoke or fire that I observed. At that point I was unable to observe the plane because of the trees which obstructed my view. About a minute passed and then I heard a crash. It appeared that the pilot was trying to land in the farm field located on the north side of 139th Street."

A second witness stated that there was a small airplane flying north of his residence that drew his attention because the airplane was flying "low". The airplane started to fly eastbound and then banked "hard." He stated that there was no smoke or any "weird" noise.