Carswell Afb Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carswell Afb, Texas 76127
Monday, May 18, 1992 20:34 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE MULTIENGINE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDED FROM 9,500 FEET MSL TO 3,500 FEET MSL WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES AT 6,500 FEET. HE ELECTED TO TURN AND ATTEMPT A LANDING AT A MILITARY AIR FORCE BASE WHERE HE COULD SEE THE APPROACH LIGHTS. THE PILOT STATED BOTH ENGINES QUIT AT THE SAME TIME, BUT CAME BACK ON FOR 1/2 SECOND, THEN QUIT AGAIN. HE STATED THAT HE COULD NOT FEATHER THE PROPELLERS THAT WERE REPORTEDLY ROTATING AT 2,000 RPM. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AT A HIGH SINK RATE FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/2 STATUTE MILE. THE LANDING GEAR WERE LOWERED APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2 STATUTE MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE FLAPS WERE LOWERED NEAR THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE LOCALIZER ANTENNA ASSEMBLY WITH THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, LOWER LEFT FUSELAGE, AND LEFT ELEVATOR. IT THEN IMPACTED ONTO THE RUNWAY AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 525 FEET. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE ON THE AUXILIARY TANKS. THEY WERE EXAMINED AND FOUND DRY. EACH MAIN FUEL TANK CONTAINED 41 GALLONS. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE. THE THROTTLES, MIXTURES, AND PROPELLER CONTROLS WERE POSITIONED FULL FORWARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES FROM FUEL STARVATION AND THE IMPROPER SELECTOR POSITIONS OF FUEL TANKS BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FEATHER THE PROPELLERS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/18/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2034
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City CARSWELL AFB
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76127
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARSWELL AFB
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KFWH
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 622
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2232
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47004
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6980L
NTSB Number FTW92FA133
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 310K
Aircraft Series Identifier 310K
Aircraft Serial Number 310K-0080
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 16 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 269
Airframe Hours 3310
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SAMS, CHARLES & LINDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1316 TIMBERBEND TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City ALLEN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75002
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SAMS, CHARLES & LINDA
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 1316 TIMBERBEND TRAIL
Operator City ALLEN
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75002
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MAF
Departure City MIDLAND
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1850
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 12000
Runway Width 300
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --