East Tex Reg. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nacogdoches, Texas 75963
Friday, January 11, 1991 10:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFTING OFF, THE AIRPLANE BEGAN DECELERATING SLOWLY. HE THOUGHT THE THROTTLES HAD RETARDED; HOWEVER, ALL OF THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED TAKEOFF POWER. REALIZING THAT HE COULD NOT RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT SELECTED A FORCED LANDING AREA AND AIMED THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN TWO TREES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT BOTH PROPS WERE AT OR NEAR FEATHER PITCH ANGLES AT IMPACT AND BEING DRIVEN UNDER POWER. BOTH ENGINES HAD BEEN CHANGED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT AND BOTH GROUND IDLE STOPS HAD BEEN ADJUSTED AFTER THE ENGINE CHANGE WITH THE LEFT ENGINE BEING SLAVED TO THE RIGHT. THE SYSTEM OPERATED OFF OF A SQUAT SWITCH ON THE RIGHT GEAR. MISRIGGING OF THE RIGHT ENGINE WOULD BE REFLECTED IN THE LEFT AND ALLOW OIL PRESSURE TO BE VENTED FROM THE DOMES, WHICH IN TURN WOULD ALLOW THE PROPELLER CYLINDER SPRINGS TO DRIVE THE PROPS TOWARD FEATHER AS THE RIGHT STRUT EXTENDED DURING TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF THRUST DUE TO THE PROPELLER'S FEATHERING ON LIFTOFF AS A RESULT OF IMPROPER ADJUSTMENTS MADE DURING AN ENGINE CHANGE. A FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN TO WHICH THE PILOT COULD EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/11/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City NACOGDOCHES
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75963
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EAST TEX REG.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OCH
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 345
Airport Elevation 372
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 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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1416
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44643
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:12AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N311DS
NTSB Number FTW91FA029
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model F-90
Aircraft Series Identifier F-90
Aircraft Serial Number LA-41
Certified Max Gross Weight 10950
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 1
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Jan 9 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 3262
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RIDGEAIRE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. DRAWER 361
Aircraft Owner City JACKSONVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75766
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RIDGEAIRE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P. O. DRAWER 361
Operator City JACKSONVILLE
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75766
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ADS
Destination City ADDISON
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 5001
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --