Springfield Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Missouri 65803
Friday, January 23, 1987 7:18 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PIC OF THIS AIR MIDWEST FLT 4408 SAID THAT, WHILE ON INITIAL CLIMB, POWER (NP) ON THE LEFT ENGINE DECAYED TO 60% AND WOULD NOT RECOVER. THE ENGINE WAS FEATHERED BY CONDITION LEVER BUT THE TORQUE ROSE TO 140% WHILE RETURNING FOR A LANDING, ACCORDING TO THE PIC. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY. A POST-INCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT AN OIL LEAK HAD BEEN TRACED, THE DAY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, TO A FRACTURED PROPELLER CONTROL UNIT SOLENOID. THAT PART WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. THE PLASTIC BLADE RETAINING RINGS INSIDE THE PROPELLER ASSY WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE ENGINE OVERTORQUE AND SUBSEQUENT SHUTDOWN. A TEARDOWN OF THE PROPELLER CONTROL UNIT (PCU) SHOWED THAT THE BETA TUBE HAD NOT FAILED NOR WAS IT FREEWHEELING INSIDE THE PCU. A SPECTROGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF OIL SAMPLES, DRAWN FROM FOUR SEPARATE SECTIONS OF THE ENGINE, TESTED SATIFACTORILY. AS SUCH, NO REASON COULD BE FOUND FOR THE DROP IN ENGINE POWER (NP) AND SUBSEQUENT OVERTORQUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 1/23/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 718
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SPRINGFIELD
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65803
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SPRINGFIELD REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SGF
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 1267
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1710 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID SGF
Elevation of weather observation facility 1267
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 10
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5035
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 23 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34457
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:37PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N120AM
NTSB Number MKC87IA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EMBRAER
Aircraft Model EMB-120
Aircraft Series Identifier EMB-120
Aircraft Serial Number 120.012
Certified Max Gross Weight 25353
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 32
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR MIDWEST, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7724
Aircraft Owner City WICHITA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67277
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 AMWA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SGF
Departure City SPRINGFIELD
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 710
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BNA
Destination City NASHVILLE
Destination State TN
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 1
Runway Length 7003
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --