Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Butte, Montana 59701
Thursday, February 28, 1985 14:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN LEVEL FLT THE PLT NOTICED A PUFF OF SMOKE EMIT FROM THE LEFT ENGINE, FOLLOWED BY THE APPEARANCE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID AND THE ILLUMINATION OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT HYDRAULIC FLOW LIGHTS. THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR DURING THE APCH, HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. FLAMES WERE THEN NOTICED BURNING THROUGH THE TOP OF THE LEFT ENGINE COWLING. THE PLT SECURED THE ENGINE, USED THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION FOR THE NOSE GEAR AND LANDED THE ACFT. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE FIRE STARTED FROM HYDRAULIC FLUID WHICH SPRAYED FROM A BROKEN HYDRAULIC LINE ONTO THE SUPERCHARGER. A SWIVEL HOSE ALUMINUM FITTING, P/N AE70101JZ174, ON THE HYDRAULIC LINE FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/28/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BUTTE
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59701
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 2
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 3500
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 245
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27596
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N98487
NTSB Number DEN85LA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C-0065
Certified Max Gross Weight 6800
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 15 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 260
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C & M AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 3704
Aircraft Owner City BUTTE
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 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 --
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City OAKLAND
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --