SEA05FA124

The pilot noted there were no anomalies with the airplane prior to departure during the preflight and engine runups, and that the takeoff was normal until about 100 to 200 feet above the ground when the right engine lost power. After feathering the right propeller, securing the engine, and establishing a left bank into the operating engine, the airplane began to climb slowly. The pilot then turned about 25 degrees to the left towards a field to avoid some trees. However, due to the initial loss of altitude when the engine lost power the airplane was now below the top of a hill, which the pilot was unable to clear. The airplane subsequently impacted the hill in a slightly right wing low, nose high attitude. The aircraft was consumed by fire, but not before the pilot and his passenger egressed the airplane safely. During the postaccident recovery of the right engine's turbocharger, which had separated from the engine during the impact sequence, various pieces of paper were observed lodged between the turbocharger's impeller and its housing. An examination of the pieces of paper extracted from the turbocharger revealed they were from an air filter instructional sheet. It was also determined that the replacement air filter had been installed on the right engine approximately 4 months prior to the accident, with the airplane having accumulated about 54 hours during that time period. Inspection of a new packaged filter revealed that the instruction sheet (8 1/2 x 11 folded into a quarter sheet), along with a sticker are placed inside the filter canister and the canister is placed in a plastic bag. The sticker was at the bottom of the bag while the instructions were molded to the inside of the filter. The pilot disclosed that the gross weight of the airplane at takeoff was 5,382.6 pounds.

History of flight

On June 21, 2005, approximately 0930 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 320E multiengine airplane, N3438Q, was destroyed following a loss of power and forced landing about one nautical mile west of the Missoula International Airport (MSO), Missoula, Montana. The pilot and sole passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by Map Incorporated, of Missoula, Montana. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the planned cross-country flight, which was operated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 91, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, with its destination being MSO after completing an aerial mapping mission in Idaho.

After recovering from serious injuries sustained in the accident the pilot submitted a written report to the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), dated November 15, 2005. In the statement the pilot reported that prior to taking off the airplane checked out normal during the run up. The pilot stated that the takeoff was normal, but approximately 100 to 200 feet above ground level (AGL) the right engine quit. The pilot reported that he secured the right engine by pulling back the throttle, feathering the propeller, shutting off the mixture, and turning the fuel selector to OFF. The pilot further reported that at this time he was in a 5 degree bank to the left, then turned about 25 degrees to the left toward a field to avoid some trees. The pilot stated, "Due to the loss of the right engine, we had lost all the altitude we had gained on takeoff and ended up in the gullies at the west end of the airport. Once the engine was feathered the airplane was climbing slowly, but because of the height of the hill, we hit just short of the top of the hill. The hill rose up rather steep at the end of the field we had flown across and I couldn't get enough altitude to clear it. The top of the hill was quite a bit higher than the trees we had flown between. I kept full power on the engine just before touchdown." The pilot reported that he touched down in a wings level, nose high attitude to avoid it [the airplane] "digging in." The pilot further reported that after the airplane came to a stop, and just before he and his passenger exited the burning aircraft, he heard a loud explosion. In a telephone conversation with the IIC on June 15, 2006, the pilot stated that the gross takeoff weight of the aircraft was 5,382.6 pounds. According to Cessna Aircraft Company, maximum certificated gross takeoff weight for the Cessna 320-E airplane is 5,300 pounds.

Two Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic controllers who witnessed the accident, supplied individual statements to the NTSB IIC, both dated June 21, 2005. The first tower controller reported observing the accident aircraft near the 2,000-foot remaining marker of Runway 29, when the pilot radioed the tower of a right engine failure. The controller stated that the airplane appeared to be too high to land on the remaining runway available, but was cleared to land as an option. The controller reported observing the aircraft veer to the right, and then veer to the left crossing the extended centerline of Runway 29, about one-half mile and 50 feet AGL. The controller stated, "When it became clear that the airplane would not be able to maintain flight, and prior to impact, which occurred approximately 1 mile west of the airport, I advised them that help was on the way." The ground controller observed a puff of dust and the onset of black smoke." The second tower controller reported hearing the pilot say that he had lost his right engine while departing Runway 29. The controller stated that he then observed the airplane over the departure end of the runway at a low altitude, fly past the departure end in level flight, and then veer slightly to the right. The controller further stated that he observed the aircraft make a shallow left turn toward the south while descending, then lost sight of the airplane behind some trees and rising terrain about 1 mile west-southwest of the departure end of Runway 29. The controller reported, "I observed a cloud of dust rising from just south of the last observed location, and shortly thereafter I observed black smoke rising from the same location."

An FAA airworthiness inspector, who traveled to the accident site, reported that both engines had separated from the airplane, and that with the exception of the right wing and tail section, the entire aircraft had been consumed by fire. During the recovery process it was observed that the airplane's right engine, which had separated from the right wing, was recovered from an adjoining canal located approximately 25 feet from where the main wreckage came to rest. The compressor section of the engine's turbocharger had separated from the engine and was also recovered from the canal. The aircraft was subsequently moved to a secure storage facility at the Missoula International Airport for further examination by the NTSB, FAA, and parties to the investigation.

Personnel information

The pilot possessed an airline transport pilot certificate with single-engine and multiengine land ratings, and a flight instructor certificate for airplane single and multiengine, and instrument airplane. The pilot reported a total flying time of 5,100 hours, with 3,000 hours being in the same make and model as the accident aircraft. The pilot further reported that he had flown 25 hours in the last 90 days, 15 hours in the last 30 days, and 5 hours in the preceding 24 hours. The pilot's most recent biennial flight review was conducted in the accident airplane on August 11, 2004. The pilot was in possession of a valid second class FAA medical certificate, dated January 25, 2005. The medical certificate stipulated no limitations; however, it did include a waiver for color blindness.

Aircraft information

The airplane was a fixed wing, multiengine, 1966 Cessna 320E, serial number 320E0038, equipped with two TSIO-520E reciprocating 300 horsepower engines, manufactured by Teledyne Continental Motors. At the time of the accident the right engine, serial number 182800R, had accumulated a total time of 4,865.2 hours, and 1,167.1 hours since its most recent major overhaul. The airplane's left engine, serial number 176291R, had accumulated a total time of 3,310.2 hours, and 287.2 hours since its last major overhaul. The aircraft's most recent annual inspection was conducted on February 16, 2005, at the facilities of Minuteman Aviation, Missoula, Montana. At this time, and in compliance with Airworthiness Directive 84-26-02, new induction air filters, Donaldson Filtration Solutions Air Filters, were installed on both engines. (Refer to Attachment #3, Description of Work Performed) The time interval between the annual inspection and the time of the accident was 54.4 hours.

On March 22, 2006, the mechanic who installed both the left and right engine air-induction filters on N3438Q during the annual inspection of February 16, 2005, submitted a written statement outlining the step-by-step procedure he used in the replacement of the components. In his statement the mechanic related that to the best of his recollection he replaced the left air-induction filter and then the right one about one hour later. The mechanic further stated that this was the first instance that he could recall where he ever encountered induction filters packaged with a sheet of paper inserted inside the induction filter. (Refer to Attachment #4, mechanic's statement)

Meteorological information

At 0931, the MSO Automated Surface Observing System reported wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 18 degrees C, dew point 11 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.0