Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Herndon, Virginia 22070
Wednesday, March 28, 1984 20:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED DIVE AT ABOUT 11,000 FT MSL, WITH RECOVERY MADE BELOW 2,000 FT MSL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT DURING THE DESCENT, IN ORDER TO ACCOMODATE OTHER AIR TRAFFIC, THE PLT EXCEEDED VNE SPEEDS. SHORTLY, THEREAFTER THE ELEVATOR TRIM SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED & JAMMED THE TRIM IN THE FULL NOSE DOWN TRIM POSITION. WHEN A BRIEF FLARE-UP OF SMOKE & SPARKS ERUPTED UNDER THE RT INSTRUMENT PANEL ON THE LT SIDE OF THE CONTROL COLUMN THE PLT DELAYED AN EMERGENCY BUT DID NOT RELAY INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CONTROL PROBLEM. POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION FOUND THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB CABLE BROKEN AT THE TRIM SERVO, LOCATED UNDER THE AFT CABIN FLOOR JUST FORWARD OF THE CABIN ENTRANCE DOOR. FRAYED IN AN IRREGULAR MANNER OVER A NINE INCH AREA, THE LOOSE CABLES BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE ELECTRICAL POWER DIODES LOCATED BENEATH THE CONTROL PEDESTAL. INSPECTION REVEALED THE FRICTION CLUTCH OPERATED AT TOO HIGH TORQUE & THE CABLES WERE OUT OF ALIGNMENT CAUSING HEAT TO OTHER COMPONENTS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/28/1984
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HERNDON
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22070
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 3
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 5068
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26556
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N66KA
NTSB Number ATL84IA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C90
Aircraft Series Identifier C90
Aircraft Serial Number LJ-582
Certified Max Gross Weight 10500
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 Feb 29 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOMINION AIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1327
Aircraft Owner City ROANOKE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 24040
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ROA
Departure City ROANOKE
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1955
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IAD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --