Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Plattsburgh Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Plattsburgh, New York 12901
Thursday, April 26, 2001 19:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot said the preflight, engine start, run-up, taxi and takeoff were "normal". The pilot said that during the climb after takeoff, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the ground, the airplane's engine "spooled down, slowly and smoothly, like a loss of torque or the propeller going to feather." The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed that the propeller-reversing lever was installed on the wrong side of the reversing lever guide pin, and that the reversing linkage carbon block was no longer installed, and had departed the airplane. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the carbon block was replaced during a 100-hour maintenance inspection, 5 hours prior to the accident. Installation of the reversing lever on the incorrect side of the guide pin resulted in improper seating and premature wear of the carbon block. According to the engine manufacturer, any disconnection in operation of the propeller control linkage will cause the propeller governor beta control valve to extend, and drive the propeller into feather.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The incorrect installation of the propeller reversing lever and carbon block assembly, which resulted in a loss of propeller thrust.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/26/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1945 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Plattsburgh |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12901 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 443903N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0732805W |
| Event Location Airport | Plattsburgh |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PLB |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 170 |
| Airport Elevation | 235 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PLB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 371 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Bright |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.08 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -509 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KPKB 262353Z 25003KT 10SM CLR 17/M02 A3018 RMK AO2 |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13777 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 26 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2035 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FSDO #01, Albany, NY |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N974FE |
| NTSB Number | IAD01LA048 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 208B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 099 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 8750 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 24 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 5 |
| Airframe Hours | 5993 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Federal Express Corporation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3191 Tchulahoma Qa 5433 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Memphis |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 38118 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Wiggins Airways |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3191 Tchulahoma QA 5433 |
| Operator City | Memphis |
| Operator State | TN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 38118 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | -- |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PLB |
| Departure City | Plattsburgh |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1940 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ABY |
| Destination City | Albany |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2002 2:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 11759 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |