- Date
- March 4, 1990, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Brackettville, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N578EKCessna T50-A17
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 23112
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
An engine failure caused by a malfunctioning carburetor and the pilot's misjudging his obstacle clearance which resulted in a wire strike while maneuvering to land. Factors in the accident were the uncommanded deployment of carburetor heat on both engines, an inoperative gear retraction system, and a propeller system which could not be feathered.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft was departing from an airstrip on a ferry permit for an inoperable landing gear mechanism. The pilot reported that the aircraft's right engine failed at approximately 75 to 100 feet AGL during initial climb. The propeller was not of a type that could be feathered. He stated that he was unable to land on the remaining runway and elected to circle to land. During the circling maneuver, the pilot felt that he would be unable to return to the airstrip and attempted to align the aircraft for landing on a road ahead of the aircraft. During a steep right bank for this purpose the aircraft's right wing struck a power line, cartwheeled, and collided with the terrain. The on site inspection revealed that both engines were having some carburetor heat applied even though the control positions were off. The right carburetor inlet screen was very dirty and the accelerator pump was stuck at the one quarter throttle open position. This was not impact related.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N578EK
- Reported as
- Cessna T50-A17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2581
- Airframe hours
- 4,304
- Engine
- Jacobs R-755-9, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Lloyd Lee Davis, Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 23, 1987 · 11 hours before
- Destination
- NONE · Tula Rosa, TX
- Airport
- NONE · Ft. Clark Springs
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,718 total · 11 in this make and model · 6,022 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Temperature
- 64 °F