Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Fresno Air Terminal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fresno, California 93727
Monday, March 17, 1997 15:30 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Two pilots and a mechanic were going on a postmaintenance test flight to check the ailerons following control system work. The aircraft maintenance records disclosed that the right brake master cylinder was replaced prior to this flight. In addition, the original PT6-112 engines had been replaced by new PT6-135's with new 4-bladed propellers. The company which installed the engines and props said that the engines and props had not been rigged following installation due to the aircraft's scheduled arrival at the paint shop. The rigging was an open item yet to be accomplished at the time of the accident. The pilot said that prior to engine start, he tested and held brakes. Following engine start, the right brake pedal slowly went to the floor, and the aircraft began moving forward and turning left. He attempted to pump the right pedal to restore brake pressure, but without success. A loaded Cessna Citation was directly ahead of the aircraft, and the pilot intentionally kept the aircraft turning left to avoid the jet as he moved the throttle levers into reverse to stop. When the aircraft failed to stop, he pulled the propeller levers into feather and the condition levers to stop. The aircraft continued to move during this process, and the left wing collided with the parked Cessna 425. Examination of the aircraft by FAA airworthiness inspectors revealed that the engine and prop rigging was out of spec to the point that the propeller blades would not move beyond a zero blade angle. Taxi tests disclosed no anomaly with the brakes, and the engines and propellers as rigged would not provide any braking or reverse thrust. Detailed examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of brake fluid leakage. The right brake master cylinder was removed from the airplane and tested to factory specifications for a new cylinder.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the right brake to function, due to the installation mechanic's failure to completely bleed all air from the lines. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to fly the unairworthy aircraft before the engine/propeller installation had been fully rigged and tested to specification.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/17/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1530 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | FRESNO |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 93727 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | FRESNO AIR TERMINAL |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FAT |
| 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 | 333 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1456 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FAT |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 333 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 60 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| 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 | 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 709 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 18 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N425TV |
| NTSB Number | LAX97LA125 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 425 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 425 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 425-0176 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8200 |
| 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 | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Continuous Airworthiness |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 11 1997 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 7 |
| Airframe Hours | 3724 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | INTERSECTION, INC., TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1050 S. STATE STREET #200 |
| Aircraft Owner City | DOVER |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19901 |
| 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 | |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FAT |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 0 |
| Departure Time Zone | |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Other |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |