- Date
- June 18, 1992, 12:18 local (18:18 UTC)
- Place
- Aztec, NM
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3307QCessna 320D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 9, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920618021159A
- Case key
- 18519
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
Failure of the right propeller to feather and inoperative gear retraction system. Factors were the high density altitude and the power loss due to connecting rod failure.
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
A commercial pilot was ferrying a light twin airplane with the landing gear extended. As the pilot started his descent to land, the number six connecting rod on the right engine failed. The pilot was not able to feather the propeller on the right engine. Altitude could not be maintained with a windmilling propeller and the gear extended. A forced landing was made to a heavily travelled highway. Damage to the airplane occurred when the pilot elected to veer off the highway to avoid colliding with vehicular traffic. Density altitude was 10,900 feet. The propeller failure to feather was caused by the propeller governor being out of adjustment.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3307Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 320D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 320D0107
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520B, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Dabbs, Thurman C.
- Registered owner
- Dabbs, Thurman C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- ABQ · Albuquerque, NM
- Destination
- Q19 · Aztec, NM
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,828 total · 2 in this make and model · 2,656 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 90 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FMN, 12 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.