Aircraft Incidents and Accidents

Wednesday, August 25, 1993 8:55 AM EDT
ANDYTOWN, FLORIDA 33328

| More

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLIST. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE FUEL TANK FLOAT VALVES WHICH ALLOWED FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR AND SUBSEQUENT INDUCTION OF UNMETERED AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES.

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS DEVIATING AROUND WEATHER DURING DESCENT WHEN HE NOTED THE FUEL FLOW AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE ON THE LEFT ENGINE OSCILLATING. BECAUSE THE PROPELLER WAS STILL TURNING HE ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE LEFT PROPELLER. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE SO HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN A SWAMP. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT FUEL TANK REVEALED THE FUEL FLOAT VALVE ACTUATORS AND FLOAT ARMS EXCESSIVELY WORN. THIS CONDITION WOULD ALLOW UNMETERED AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES. ALSO NOTED WAS THE CONDITION OF ONE OF THE LEFT FUEL VALVES THAT COULD JAM OPEN ALLOWING THE FUEL PICKUP TO UNPORT AND INDUCE EXCESSIVE AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES.

| More

Event Information
Type of Event	Accident
Event Date	8/25/1993
Event Day of the Week	Wednesday
Time of Event	855
Event Time Zone	Eastern Daylight Time
Event City	ANDYTOWN
Event State	FLORIDA
Event Country	--
Zipcode of the event site	33328
Event Date Year	1993
Event Date Month	8
MidAir Collision Indicator	No
On Ground Collision occurred ?	No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport	Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles	--
Degrees magnetic from airport	--
Airport Elevation	--
Weather Briefing Completeness	Unknown
Investigator's weather source	Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation	855 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees)	140
Weather Observation Facility ID	MIA
Elevation of weather observation facility	9
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?)	21
Time Zone of the weather observation	EDT
Lighting Conditions	Day
Lowest Ceiling Height	30000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height	2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions	Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling	Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet)	0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles)	0
Visibility (Statute Miles)	7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius)	28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit)	24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic)	160
Variable Wind Indicator	Unknown
Wind Speed (knots)	8
Wind Velocity Indicator	Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator	Unknown
Wind Gust (knots)	0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg)	30
Density Altitude (feet)	--
Intensity of Precipitation	Unknown
METAR weather report	--
Event Highest Injury	Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries	0
On Ground, Minor Injuries	0
On Ground, Serious Injuries	0
Injury Total Fatal	--
Injury Total Minor	4
Injury Total None	--
Injury Total Serious	1
Injury Total All	5
Investigating Agency	NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use)	2131
NTSB Notification Source	--
NTSB Notification Date	Aug 25 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time	1005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information	IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record	Dec 11 2000 1:34PM
User who most recently changed record	dbo
Basic weather conditions	Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office	--

Aircraft Involved
	Aircraft #1
Aircraft Registration Number	N206RH
NTSB Number	MIA93FA183
Missing Aircraft Indicator	N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part	Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed	VFR
Flight plan Was Activated?	--
Damage	Substantial
Aircraft Fire	None
Aircraft Explosion	None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name	CESSNA
Aircraft Model	402C
Aircraft Series Identifier	402C
Aircraft Serial Number	0206
Certified Max Gross Weight	6850
Aircraft Category	Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class	U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt?	No
Flight Crew Seats	--
Cabin Crew Seats	--
Passenger Seats	--
Total number of seats on the aircraft	10
Number of Engines	2
Fixed gear or retractable gear	Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection	AAIP
Date of Last Inspection	Aug 6 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection	31
Airframe Hours	12918
ELT Installed	Yes
ELT Activated	Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site	Yes
ELT Type	--
Aircraft Owner Name	AIR SUNSHINE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address	P.O.BOX 22626
Aircraft Owner City	FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State	FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode	33350
Operator is an individual?	--
Operator Name	AIR SUNSHINE INC.
Operator Same as Owner?	Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As	--
Operator Address Same as Owner?	No
Operator Street Address	P.O. BOX 22626
Operator City	FORT LAUDERDALE
Operator State	FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code	33350
Operator Code	RSHA
Owner has at least one certificate	Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft?	No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation	Unknown
Operator Certificate Number	--
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not	Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight	Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail	Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary)	Unknown
Second Pilot on Board	No
Departure Point Same as Event	No
Departure Airport Code	SRQ
Departure City	SARASOTA
Departure State	FL
Departure Country
Departure Time	825
Departure Time Zone	EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt	--
Destination Airport Code	FLL
Destination City	FORT LAUDERDALE
Destination State	FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight	Landing
Report sent to ICAO?	--
Evacuation occurred	--
Date of most recent change to record	Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record	dbo
Since inspection or accident	--
Event Location Runway Number and Location	0
Runway Length	--
Runway Width	--
Sight Seeing flight	No
Air Medical Flight	No
Medical Flight	--