# NTSB FTW00LA066: Cessna 340A, Brownsville, TX, January 17, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 17, 2000, 10:41 local (16:41 UTC) - Place: Brownsville, TX - Coordinates: 25.959051, -97.550338 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9591&lon=-97.5503&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 48506 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA066 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/48506/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA066 ## Probable cause The hard landing of the aircraft resulting from the pilot's excessive rate of descent on the VFR approach. A factor was the loss of right engine power for an undetermined reason. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - 1 engine - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - descent - excessive, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis On the downwind leg of the VFR approach to runway 13R, the pilot reported a loss of right engine power. The pilot elected to land on runway 35. The airplane descended and landed 'very hard' on the runway. Both wings were bent downward outboard of the engine nacelles. A post accident inspection of the right engine revealed no anomalies. ## Factual narrative On January 17, 2000, at 1041 central standard time, a Cessna 340A twin-engine airplane, Mexican registration, XBBJU, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at the Brownsville International Airport, Brownsville, Texas. The Mexican commercial pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 ferry flight. The cross-country flight originated from Victoria, Mexico, at 0800. According to the airport manager, the pilot stated that he was having "problems with the right engine" while inbound to Brownsville. The airport's tower controller cleared the airplane to land on the active runway. The pilot; however, stated that he was going to land on runway 35 instead. Runway 35 was closed at the time of the landing and, according to the airport manager, workers were on the runway during the airplane's landing. The wind at the time of the landing was from 150 degrees at 9 knots. The airport manager added that while on short final the airplane sank and landed "very hard" at the runway threshold. The airport manager stated that all six of the propeller blades displayed impact damage. Both wings were structurally damaged outboard of the engine nacelles. A post accident inspection conducted by an FAA inspector revealed that both propellers were bent in nearly the same manor "indicating that both engines were turning almost the same during impact." Visual inspection of the right engine showed no anomalies. Fuel was found in the right engine's fuel line, and the cylinders produced "good compression." The engine's tachometer generator was removed and inspected, and no anomalies were noted. In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated under the section "How Could This Accident Been Prevented" that he should have continued ahead instead of returning to runway 35 after the engine failed. ## Aircraft - Registration: XBBJU (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Cessna 340A - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 340-A-0773 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520VBCNB 375 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Ferry, Part 91 - Operator: Luis Carlos Alanis Fernandez - Registered owner: Jose Villareal Caballero - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: UNKN, VICTORIA - Destination: BRO - Airport: BRO, Brownsville, runway 35, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 24; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, unknown; seat: left; flight hours: 530 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 150° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: BRO 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.