- Date
- April 8, 1998, 19:05 local (Apr 9, 1998, 00:05 UTC)
- Place
- Del Rio, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2083CBeech E18S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 8, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980408006129A
- Case key
- 20575
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
a loss of engine power on the right engine for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane.
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 pilot lost control of the airplane following the loss of engine power from the right engine during takeoff. The pilot stated that the engine power loss was not sudden, but rather a slow continued reduction of power. The pilot further stated that the loss of power occurred after he placed the landing gear selector in the retract position. He added that his airspeed at the time of the power loss was between Vmc (86 mph) and Vy (120 mph). The airplane started to roll towards the right (dead) engine as the pilot reduced the power on the left engine. The outboard portion of the right wing impacted the ground short of a taxiway. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right engine propeller was in the feather position and the left engine was torn from the airframe. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
Factual narrative
On April 8, 1998, at 1905 central daylight time, a Beech E18S twin engine airplane, N2083C, was substantially damaged following a loss of control during takeoff near Del Rio, Texas. The instrument rated commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, sustained minor injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by Phillips Air Service of Del Rio, Texas, under Title 14 CFR Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cargo flight for which a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to local authorities that responded to the accident, the pilot lost control of the airplane following the loss of engine power from the right engine during initial takeoff climb from runway 31 at the Del Rio International Airport (DRT), near Del Rio, Texas.
The pilot told the FAA inspector that the engine power loss was not sudden, but rather a slow continued reduction of power. The pilot further stated that the loss of power occurred after he placed the landing gear selector in the retract position. He added that his airspeed at the time of the power loss was between Vmc (86 mph) and Vy (120 mph). The 1959 vintage airplane started to roll towards the right (dead) engine after the pilot feathered the right engine and reduced the power on the left engine. The outboard portion of the right wing impacted the ground short of a taxiway. The airplane came to rest within the airport's perimeter fence.
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed that the right engine propeller was in the feather position and the left engine was torn from the airframe. The left wing and nose section of the airframe sustained structural damage. There was no post impact fire.
The flight's cargo manifest revealed that the airplane was loaded with 835 pounds of UPS cargo en route to the San Antonio International Airport (SAT), near San Antonio, Texas.
The reason for the loss of engine power to the right engine could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2083C
- Reported as
- Beech E18S
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- BA-446
- Engine
- P&W R-985-14B, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Kenneth R. Phillips
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1997 · 95 hours before
- Departed
- DRT
- Destination
- SAT · San Antonio, TX
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- DRT · Del Rio International, runway 31, 5,100 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 53
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,800 total · 55 in this make and model · 66 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 330° at 16 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DRT, 1 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.