El Paso Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Monday, August 16, 1982 14:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N1969J IS A 1974 CESSNA 421B MODIFIED BY A RILEY CONVERSION KIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESCENDING THROUGH ABOUT 1900 FT MSL WHEN, WITHOUT PREVIOUS WARNING, IT YAWED LEFT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT THEN IMMEDIATELY YAWED SEVERELY TO THE RIGHT AND BEGAN TO PRODUCE A HIGH-PITCHED WHINING NOISE. THE RIGHT ENGINE THEN EXPLODED. ENGINE DEBRIS PENETRATED THE CABIN WALL AND WINDOWS AND STRUCK THE PILOT CAUSING MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT SECURED THE RT ENGINE, FEATHERED THE PROPELLER AND LANDED AT EL PASO WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE POWER TURBINE WHEEL HAD DISINTEGRATED INFLIGHT. INTERNAL EXAMINATION REVEALED A BROKEN N2 ACCESSORY IDLER GEAR WHICH EXHIBITED A FATIGUE FRACTURE. A LOOSE NUT SECURING THE N2 ACCESSORY IDLER GEAR AND N2 SPEED DISC ALLOWED RELATIVE MOVEMENT AND WEAR OF THESE PARTS. FATIGUE OF THE IDLER GEAR CAUSED A LOSS OF DRIVE TO THE OVERSPEED GOVERNOR AND ALLOWED THE ENGINE TO OVERSPEED. THE MANUFACTURER IS REDESIGNING THE ASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/16/1982
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport EL PASO INT'L
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1436
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
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 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 100
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5091
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1969J
NTSB Number FTW82IA331
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 421B
Aircraft Series Identifier 421B
Aircraft Serial Number 421B0588
Certified Max Gross Weight 6800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 1650
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J.D. ABRAMS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9440 VISCOUNT
Aircraft Owner City EL PASO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79925
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name J.D. ABRAMS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9440 VISCOUNT
Operator City EL PASO
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79925
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AUS
Departure City AUSTIN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1334
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MILWAUKEE
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 9008
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --