Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Herlong Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Jacksonville, Florida 32205
Tuesady, August 31, 2010 8:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The multi-engine airplane was being flown to an airport about 15 miles from the departure airport for avionics maintenance. The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection, which included checking the fuel tanks for water contamination. After a normal takeoff, the airplane was in a climb between 1,500 and 2,000 feet mean sea level when the left engine surged and lost all power. Shortly thereafter, the right engine began to surge and also lost all power. The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck trees during an ensuing forced landing to an interstate. Examination of the airframe and both engines did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions. A 1.5-gallon fuel sample drained from the airplane's fuel tanks contained about 2 cups of water. The airplane had been operated for about 24 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 6 weeks prior to the accident. The accident flight was the first flight after the airplane had been refueled, but only partially, about 3 weeks earlier.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a total loss of power in both engines during climb due to fuel contamination.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/31/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 815 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Jacksonville |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 32205 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 301843N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0814916W |
| Event Location Airport | Herlong |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HEG |
| 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 | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 87 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 80 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | CRG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 41 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 18 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 80 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.13 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28623 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 29 2011 3:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N175SP |
| NTSB Number | ERA10LA457 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AERO COMMANDER |
| Aircraft Model | 560E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 783 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6400 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 13 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 24 |
| Airframe Hours | 9075 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Duchess Air LLC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Jacksonville |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 32210 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | William Montgomery |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Jacksonville |
| Operator State | FL |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 32210 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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 | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | HEG |
| Departure City | Jacksonville |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 810 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | CRG |
| Destination City | Jacksonville |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 29 2011 3:37PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |