- Date
- February 17, 1991, 10:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Truckee, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N5350JCessna 340A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910217002569A
- Case key
- 27117
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
That the pilot failed to follow the correct emergency procedures when he began to experience engine problems and improperly used the fuel boost pumps contrary to the pilot's operating handbook. The initial cause of the engine surging could not be determined.
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
During the descent to the high altitude airport the left engine began to surge. The pilot reset the power and mixture controls but to no avail. When on the base leg to the runway the pilot turned on both fuel pumps, contrary to the pilot operating handbook. While on final approach the left engine began to vibrate violently and the pilot applied power to both engines, but none available. The airplane's altitude was insufficient and the airplane undershot the runway and collided with about a 3 foot hole collapsing the left main gear. Subsequent engine run tests could not duplicate the initial surging due to limitations of the test club, but with the mixture rich and both boost pumps on high, both engines quit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5350J
- Reported as
- Cessna 340A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 340A0968
- Airframe hours
- 640
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-NB, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive/Corporate · Part 91
- Operator
- Frank Johnson
- Registered owner
- Frank Johnson
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 1, 1991 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- IZA · Santa Ynez, CA
- Airport
- TRK · Truckee-Tahoe, runway 1, 4,650 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 3,224 total · 390 in this make and model · 2,913 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 43 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TRK, 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.