Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cross City, Florida 32628
Wednesday, September 5, 2007 5:33 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was on a repositioning flight to Tampa, Florida. He was cruising at 11,000 feet msl when, with no warning or spool down time, the engine failed. The engine indications instantly went to zero. The pilot declared an emergency to the air traffic controller and was advised that the nearest airport was 29 miles away. He maneuvered the airplane toward the airport and went through the engine failure procedures. The attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot configured the airplane for best glide speed. After gliding for 22 miles, the airplane's altitude was about 300 feet msl. The pilot slowed the airplane to just above stall speed before impacting small pine trees pulling back on the yoke and stalling the airplane into the trees. The engine was examined at Pratt and Whitney of Canada, with Transportation Safety Board of Canada oversight. The engine compressor turbine blades were fractured at varying heights from the roots to approximately half of the span. Materials analysis determined the blade fractures to display impact damage and overheating. The primary cause of the blade fractures could not be determined. There were no other pre-impact anomalies or operational dysfunction observed to any of the engine components examined. Impact damage to the blade airfoils precluded determination of the original fracture mechanism.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to the fracture and separation of the compressor turbine blades for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 533
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Cross City
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32628
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 293732N
Event Location Longitude 0831729W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 553 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID CTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 42
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
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) 25115
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2009 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office North Florida FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N702PA
NTSB Number MIA07LA140
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
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 208B0702
Certified Max Gross Weight 8785
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Aug 16 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 53
Airframe Hours 7844
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91
Aircraft Owner Name Paragon Air Express, Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 801 Hangar Lane
Aircraft Owner City Nashville
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37227
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Paragon Air Express, Inc
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 801 Hangar Lane
Operator City Nashville
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37214
Operator Code PA9A
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BFM
Departure City Mobile
Departure State AL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City Tampa
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 27 2009 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --