Mc Chesney Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Luis Obispo, California 93403
Thursday, June 6, 1996 5:58 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The first officer, who was 6 months past due for a proficiency check in the aircraft, was in the left seat for the ferry flight and applied power on takeoff. At 40 knots he transitioned from tiller to rudder steering while the captain was setting takeoff power. Moments later the crew felt the aircraft jerk to the left. The captain took the controls and brought both power levers back to flight idle and then into reverse. The captain attempted to control the aircraft but did not have access to the tiller from his position in the aircraft. Full application of rudder and differential braking could not bring the aircraft under control as it veered off the left side of the runway, then back to the right edge. Following the accident, the nose wheel steering, brakes, and propellers were functionally tested in accordance with the aircraft maintenance manuals, with no discrepancies noted. The FDR showed that the airspeed peaked at 58 knots. The rudder effectiveness increases incrementally from 40 knots IAS to full authority at 70 knots. A CVR tape sound spectrum analysis revealed that the left engine was in the start lock position during the takeoff. Normal procedure after engine start is to bring the props into reverse momentarily to bring them out of the start locks. There is no cockpit indicator for the position of the propellers relative to the start locks.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight crew's loss of directional control resulting from an attempted takeoff with the left propeller on the start lock. Factors in the accident were: the lack of cockpit caution/warning system/lights available to verify that the propellers are out of the start locks; and the captain's location in the right seat without access to the nosewheel steering tiller.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1996
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 558
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN LUIS OBISPO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93403
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MC CHESNEY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 209
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 658 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SBP
Elevation of weather observation facility 209
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1754
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 6 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 943
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N926AE
NTSB Number LAX96FA228
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name British Aerospace
Aircraft Model BA-3100/3201
Aircraft Series Identifier BA-3100/32
Aircraft Serial Number 926
Certified Max Gross Weight 16204
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 21
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 6 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 122
Airframe Hours 8464
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIRST SECURITY BANK OF UTAH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 79 SOUTH MAIN STREET
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84111
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KENNETH A. DENYER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 22070 BRODERICK DRIVE
Operator City STERLING
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20166
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SBP
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 552
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IGM
Destination City KINGMAN
Destination State AZ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 4799
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --