Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Harry P Williams Municipal Air Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Patterson, Louisiana 70392
Friday, January 14, 2005 9:54 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The 6,000-hour airline transport pilot was observed to make a steep climb followed by a shallow left turn during the initial climb after take off. The steepness of the bank progressed, and then the nose of the airplane dropped. Subsequently, the airplane began to spin before impacting a tree then terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector handles were set to the auxiliary fuel tanks. A review of the Normal Procedures section of the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) revealed that the fuel selectors must be set to the main tanks for take-off. Additionally, the FAA issued Airworthiness Directive (AD)-68-26-06 in 1974 "to prevent a power loss." It required this model airplane to have a placard installed on the pilot's instrument panel, which stated the following: "TAKE OFF AND LAND ON MAIN TANKS ONLY. TURNING TYPE TAKE OFFS OR TAKE OFFS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING FAST TAXI TURNS PROHIBITED." A review of the POH also revealed that the best rate of climb speed with one engine inoperative (Vyse) was 100 knots and the minimum controllable airspeed (Vmc) was 78 knots. It also stated, "Two major factors govern one engine operations; airspeed and directional control. The airplane can be safely maneuvered or trimmed for normal hands-off operation and sustained in this configuration by the operative engine AS LONG AS SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED IS MAINTAINED...The most important aspect of engine failure is the necessity to maintain lateral and directional control. If airspeed is below 78 knots, reduce power on the operative engine as required to maintain control."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to follow check-list procedures and the required placard instructions, which resulted in the fuel selectors being selected to the improper fuel tanks for take-off, resulting in a loss of engine power to the left engine. Also causal was the pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed required to maintain control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/14/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 954 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Patterson |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70392 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 294200N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0912000W |
| Event Location Airport | Harry P Williams Municipal Air |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PTN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 150 |
| Airport Elevation | 9 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PTN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 9 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 20 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.42 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -1197 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17719 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communications Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 14 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1138 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baton Rouge, LA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7912R |
| NTSB Number | DFW05FA055 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | 95-B55 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | TC-1220 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4000 |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Gilbert L Dozier |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6353 Highland Road |
| Aircraft Owner City | Baton Rouge |
| Aircraft Owner State | LA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 70808 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PTN |
| Departure City | Patterson |
| Departure State | LA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 952 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HUM |
| Destination City | Houma |
| Destination State | LA |
| 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 | Mar 24 2010 11:39AM |
| User who most recently changed record | broda |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |