San Antonio International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Antonio, Texas 78216
Thursday, February 10, 1994 7:13 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD 'A PROBLEM' AND NEEDED TO RETURN IMMEDIATELY. WITNESSES OBSERVED DARK BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM BOTH ENGINES. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TREE 1/2-MILE NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. ANALYSIS OF FUEL SAMPLES REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF APPROXIMATELY 50% JET FUEL. THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS FOUND FEATHERED AND ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED A HOLE BURNED IN THE RIGHT ENGINE NUMBER 5 PISTON. LEFT ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED PISTON EDGES ERODED DOWN TO THE FIRST COMPRESSION RING. FUEL FILLER RESTRICTORS HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL TANKS, BUT THE FUEL TRUCK DID NOT HAVE THE RESTRICTIVE MATING NOZZLE. THE FUEL TRUCK WAS OWNED BY THE FUEL VENDER AND LEASED TO THE FBO.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER SERVICING OF THE AIRPLANE WITH JET FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN PREIGNITION AND/OR DETONATION AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF PISTONS IN BOTH ENGINES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LACK OF A RESTRICTIVE MATING NOZZLE ON THE REFUELING TRUCK.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 713
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SAN ANTONIO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78216
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SAT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 310
Airport Elevation 809
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 716 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID SAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 809
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 93
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 745
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N741CA
NTSB Number FTW94FA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C-0899
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
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 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2916
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CRITICAL AIR MEDICINE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4141 KEARNEY VILLA ROAD
Aircraft Owner City SAN DIEGO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92123
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code IBUA
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SAT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 711
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code EGP
Destination City EAGLE PASS
Destination State TX
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 12R
Runway Length 8502
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --