Greenlee County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clifton, Arizona 85533
Sunday, August 16, 1987 15:14 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT DEPTD RY 25 AT GREENLEE CTY ARPT, CLIFTON, AZ ON A VFR FLT TO PHOENIX, AZ. THE PLT & GND WITNESSES RPTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, GRAYISH/WHITE SMOKE EMANATED FROM THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO FEATHER THE PROP, CIRCLED THE ARPT ABT 2 TIMES AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND LANDED BETWEEN THE RUNWAYS. THE POST CRASH INVESTIGATION DSCLSD THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE LEFT ENGINE TURBOCHARGER. THE TURBOCHARGER OIL LINE HOUSING WAS FOUND FRACTURED. THE HOUSING WAS MISSING WHEN THE ENGINES WERE SHIPPED TO TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS (TCM). THE ENGINE CRATES WERE OPENED BEFORE SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATORS ARRIVED AT TCM TO CONDUCT THE ENGINE EXAMINATION. THE LEFT ENGINE EXAM DISCLSD EXTERNAL HIGH TEMP DISTRESS AND MINOR DETONATION SIGNATURES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1514
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CLIFTON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85533
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GREENLEE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CFT
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 3811
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2627
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1823
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38163
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26596
NTSB Number LAX87FA306
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 and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C1208
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 226
Airframe Hours 1611
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name OPS LEASING COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 24306 E. CARRON
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85208
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
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1512
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DVT
Destination City PHOENIX
Destination State AZ
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 25
Runway Length 4985
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --