DFW05IA150

The engine of the turboprop cargo airplane ingested bird(s) into the engine intake while climbing to cruise altitude. The pilot made a successful forced landing into an open field following the total loss of engine power. Examination of the engine revealed foreign object damage to the compressor stator vanes.

On June 7, 2005, approximately 1015 central daylight time (CDT), a single-engine Cessna 208B airplane, N9505B, was undamaged during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power while climbing to cruise altitude near Clarendon, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. The airplane was registered to Martinaire Aircraft, L.L.C. of Addison, Texas, and was being operated by Martinaire Partners, L.P. of Addison, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The flight originated from the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), at 0940 CDT, destined for Addison Airport (ADS), near Addison, Texas.

According to the 7,222-hour pilot, an unusual whining/hissing noise was first heard from the engine at 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl). As the airplane was climbing through 8,000 feet msl, the noise got louder and the inlet turbine temperature gauge was fluctuating. Suddenly, a "bang" was heard and the engine "quit." An in-flight restart was unsuccessful. The pilot declared an emergency with Albuquerque (ABQ) Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), before making an uneventful forced landing in an open grass field.

Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the site of the accident, revealed no structural damage to the airframe, however, molten metal was found inside the exhaust area of the engine.

At 0953, the automated surface observing system at AMA reported wind from 200 degrees at 22 knots gusting to 25 knots, visibility 8 statute miles, sky condition scattered at 2,200 feet, temperature 24 degrees Celsius, dew point 18 degrees Celsius, and barometric pressure at 30.29 inches of Mercury.

On June 14, 2005, an engine examination was conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC) at Martinaire's maintenance facility at Addison, Texas, with representatives from Martinaire Partners, L.P., Cessna Aircraft Company, and Pratt & Whitney Engine Services. Bird feathers and clumps of feather material were found in the airbox and inlet screen. The inlet screen near the mating flange exhibited evidence of a foreign body. The metal screen was bent and polished at both ends. Viewing the engine inlet through an optical borescope showed heavy friction rub, with damage on the 1st and 2nd stage compressor stator vanes and blades. A portion of a feather was observed in the area of the 2nd stage compressor.