- Date
- June 6, 1990, 17:15 local (Jun 7, 1990, 00:15 UTC)
- Place
- Fresno, CA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N803FECessna 208A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 14, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900606018919A
- Case key
- 26632
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 oil pressure due to improper maintenance performed on the engine oil filler cap by an unknown person. In addition, the pilot misjudged his landing approach to the runway during the forced landing which resulted in an overshoot and collision with objects. A tailwind contributed to the overshoot.
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 engine lost oil press while climbing through 6,000 ft, and the pilot requested to return to his departure airport. ATC informed the pilot of a closer airport. The pilot secured the engine, feathered the prop, and made a power-off descent to the airport. The pilot elected to make a downwind approach to rwy 12L due to his altitude. The airplane overflew the runway and touched down past the departure end. It penetrated the airport perimeter fence, struck several trees, a sign post, a light pole, and an auto before coming to rest in a residential area. Examination of the wreckage revealed the loss of pressure was due to oil leaking. The oil filler cap was found improperly adjusted after the original installation. The maintenance manual does not approve any field repairs on the oil filler cap engaging mechanisms. The airplane's flaps were found at a 7 deg intermediate setting.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N803FE
- Reported as
- Cessna 208A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 208 0015
- Engine
- P&W PT6-114A, 600 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- West Air Industries
- Registered owner
- Federal Express Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · March 6, 1990 · 82 hours before
- Destination
- OAK · Oakland, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FCH · Fresno-Chandler Downtown, runway 12, 3,000 × 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
- 51
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,275 total · 335 in this make and model · 9,060 as pilot in command · 140 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.