New Hanover Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wilmington, North Carolina 28401
Thursday, April 23, 1987 19:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED DURING TAKEOFF IMMEDIATELY AFTER ROTATION 3000' DOWN THE 7,002' RWY 16. THE PLT CONTINUED THE FLT AND THE LANDING GEAR REMAINED EXTENDED. THE UNAUTHORIZED PLT RATED PAX MADE XMISSIONS TO THE TOWER. WITNESSES RPTED THAT THE ACFT REACHED APPROX. 150' THEN DESCENDED INTO TREES 20 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF RWY CENTERLINE AND 3,000' SOUTH OF THE ARPT. THE PRE- 1979 3RD STAGE STATOR ASSY IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT HAVE THE LATEST MANUFACTURE WELDING PROCESS/INSPECTION AND FAILED CAUSING THE UNCONTAINED TURBINE FAILURE. INSTRUMENTS IN THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THAT AN UNDETERMINABLE LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF ENGINE FAILURE. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT A SAFE LANDING COULD HAVE BEEN MADE ON THE REMAINING RWY PAST THE POINT OF ENGINE FAILURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1935
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WILMINGTON
Event State NORTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 28401
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEW HANOVER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ILM
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 180
Airport Elevation 32
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1936 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID ILM
Elevation of weather observation facility 32
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 500
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 912
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34210
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:11PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N505LB
NTSB Number ATL87FA123
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SWEARINGEN
Aircraft Model SA-226TC
Aircraft Series Identifier SA-226TC
Aircraft Serial Number TC202
Certified Max Gross Weight 12500
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 4 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 7667
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR-LIFT ASSOCIATES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 173
Aircraft Owner City MORRISVILLE
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27560
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 WPKA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ILM
Departure City WILMINGTON
Departure State NC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1934
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LBT
Destination City LUMBERTON
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 16
Runway Length 7002
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --