Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hinckley, Illinois 60520
Monday, September 7, 1992 12:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN AT LOW ALTITUDE TRAILING SMOKE FROM THE LEFT ENGINE. WITNESSES SAW THE WINGS 'TIPPING' BACK AND FORTH, THEN A WING DROPPED AND HIT THE GROUND. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A SUPERCHARGER BEARING HAD FAILED IN THE LEFT ENGINE. THE LEFT ENGINE HAD BEEN RECENTLY INSTALLED BY NON-CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL AFTER BEING INACTIVE FOR 18 YRS WITHOUT PRESERVATION. THE AIRPLANE HAD FLOWN ABOUT 184 HRS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION; NO RECORD OF SUBSEQUENT 100-HR INSPECTION. THE LEFT PROP BLADES WERE FOUND IN AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION BETWEEN THE OPERATING RANGE AND THE FEATHERED POSITION. THE LEFT PROP WAS CHANGED SEVERAL WEEKS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT PROP HAD EVER BEEN SUCCESSFULLY CYCLED TO THE FULL FEATHER POSITION. THE OPERATOR AND PILOTS WERE NOT AWARE OF HAMILTON STANDARD SB 657 RECOMMENDING FULL-FEATHER CHECKS EVERY 30 DAYS. LEFT PROP FEATHERING MOTOR RELAYS NOT RECOVERED. ALL 11 PARACHUTISTS WERE FOUND IN CENTER PART OF FUSELAGE; NO EVIDENCE OF RESTRAINT USEAGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION BY THE OPERATOR WHICH RESULTED IN AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DURING THE CRITICAL TAKEOFF PHASE OF FLIGHT. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT DID NOT, OR WAS UNABLE TO, ATTAIN A FULL-FEATHER POSITION ON THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER, WHICH WOULD HAVE MOST LIKELY ENABLED THE AIRPLANE TO SUSTAIN MINIMUM CONTROL AIRSPEED.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/1992
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HINCKLEY
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60520
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID DPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 758
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 3000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 12
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 12
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 927
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 7 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1255
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48296
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3657G
NTSB Number DCA92MA048
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C-45H
Aircraft Series Identifier C-45H
Aircraft Serial Number AF461
Certified Max Gross Weight 9360
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 27 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7780
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EXA, INCORPORATED
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 922
Aircraft Owner City ST. CHARLES
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60174
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EXA, INCORPORATED
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 922
Operator City ST. CHARLES
Operator State IL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 60174
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OC2
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 OC2
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --