National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report
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National Transportation Safety Board Aviation Accident Final Report Location: GREENVILLE, TX Accident Number: FTW93FA185 Date & Time: 06/09/1993, 1646 CDT Registration: N580HH Aircraft: CONVAIR 440 Aircraft Damage: Substantial Defining Event: Injuries: 15 None Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business Analysis THE CREW AND PASSENGERS WERE TESTING ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT WHEN THE PILOTS RECIEVED A LEFT FIRE WARNING LIGHT AND BELL. THE PILOT SECURED THE LEFT ENGINE AND LANDED UNDER SINGLE ENGINE CONDITIONS. DURING THE LANDING THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO A LACK OF NOSE WHEEL STEERING. THE STEERING WAS LOST BECAUSE THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN. THIS ENGINE ALSO DEVELOPS THE REQUIRED AC POWER. UNDER EMERGENCY CONDITIONS THE NOSE STEERING IS OPERATED UNDER DC POWER AND THIS IS ACTIVATED BY THE CREW. THE CREW DID NOT ACTIVATE THE DC POWER SWITCH. Probable Cause and Findings The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. FACTORS WERE ENGINE FIRE WARNING SYSTEM ACTIVATING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, AND THE RESULTANT AC POWER LOSS WHEN THAT ENGINE WAS SECURED. THE LACK OF RECENT EXPEREINCE IN TYPE AIRCRAFT AND THE LOSS OF CONTROL DURING THE LANDING ROLL. Page 1 of 6 Findings Occurrence #1: AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION Phase of Operation: CRUISE Findings 1. (F) FIRE WARNING SYSTEM,POWERPLANT - FALSE INDICATION 2. REASON FOR OCCURRENCE UNDETERMINED 3. (F) ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - FAILURE,PARTIAL ---------- Occurrence #2: LOSS OF CONTROL - ON GROUND/WATER Phase of Operation: LANDING - ROLL Findings 4. HYDRAULIC SYSTEM - NOT ENGAGED 5. (C) LANDING GEAR,STEERING SYSTEM - NOT ENGAGED 6. (C) EMERGENCY PROCEDURE - NOT FOLLOWED - PILOT IN COMMAND 7. NOSEWHEEL STEERING - NOT POSSIBLE - PILOT IN COMMAND 8. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL - NOT POSSIBLE - PILOT IN COMMAND 9. (F) LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT - PILOT IN COMMAND Page 2 of 6 FTW93FA185 Factual Information HISTORY OF FLIGHT: On June 9, 1993, at 1646 central daylight time, a Convair 580, N580HH, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing on runway 17 at Majors Airport, Greenville, Texas. Neither the airline transport rated pilot, the commercial rated copilot, nor the thirteen passengers were injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The intent of the flight was to flight test onboard electronic equipment. According to the crew and test personnel onboard the airplane, several electrical spikes occurred while in flight to the alternating current (AC) system. The captain stated that the left engine's fire warning light illuminated several times along with other fluctuating instruments. He secured the left engine and used the fire extinguishing system which resulted in the warning light going out and a loss of AC power to the airplane. A successful single engine landing was accomplished. During the landing roll, aircraft control was lost. Interviews with the crew revealed that the crew did not activate the emergency direct current (DC) hydraulic power switch to provide nose wheel steering capabilities, normally an AC powered system. PERSONNEL INFORMATION: According to interviews conducted by the investigator in charge of the pilot, copilot, and other company personnel, the following information was obtained. The pilot in command and the copilot had both logged very little time recently in this airplane. As corporate pilots they both had primary flight duties in either the company owned Douglas DC3 or a Learjet. This airplane was flown only for test and evaluation of the onboard electronic equipment installed in the passenger compartment. FLIGHT RECORDERS: A Sundstrand model CVR-80 cockpit voice recorder was sent to the National Transportation Safety Board laboratory for analysis. The tape contained no pertinent information and no transcript was produced. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION: All of the following distances were measured by the investigator in charge and are approximate. The aircraft landed 2,000 feet from the landing threshold. Physical evidence, ground scars, indicated that the aircraft ran off the west side of the runway 5,500 feet from the threshold and crossed a drainage ditch to a parallel taxiway and came to a stop 300 feet from the northern most end of the taxiway on a heading of 172 degrees. When the aircraft exited the drainage ditch to the parallel taxiway the nose gear assembly broke at the mounting yoke, the right propeller assembly contacted the ground and separated from the aircraft at the gear reduction assembly, and the fuselage underside, aft of the aft cargo door area, contacted the ground. TESTS AND RESEARCH: The electrical systems (AC and DC) were evaluated for continuity and functional operation, no discrepancies were found. The left engine was examined and no anomalies were found. ADDITIONAL DATA: The airplane was released to the operator for repair or disposition. Page 3 of 6 FTW93FA185 Pilot Information Certificate: Airline Transport Age: 51, Male Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Seat Occupied: Left Land Other Aircraft Rating(s): None Restraint Used: Seatbelt, Shoulder harness Instrument Rating(s): Airplane Second Pilot Present: Yes Instructor Rating(s): None Toxicology Performed: No Medical Certification: Class 1 Valid Medical--w/ Last Medical Exam: 02/23/1993 waivers/lim. Occupational Pilot: Last Flight Review or Equivalent: Flight Time: 9370 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1048 hours (Total, this make and model), 5408 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft) Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information Aircraft Manufacturer: CONVAIR Registration: N580HH Model/Series: 440 440 Aircraft Category: Airplane Year of Manufacture: Amateur Built: No Airworthiness Certificate: Normal Serial Number: 500 Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle Seats: 15 Date/Type of Last Inspection: 05/10/1993, Continuous Certified Max Gross Wt.: 58100 lbs Airworthiness Time Since Last Inspection: 3 Hours Engines: 2 Turbo Prop Airframe Total Time: 14875 Hours Engine Manufacturer: ALLISON ELT: Installed, not activated Engine Model/Series: 501-D13D Registered Owner: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, INC Rated Power: 3750 hp Operator: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, INC Air Carrier Operating None Certificate: Page 4 of 6 FTW93FA185 Meteorological Information and Flight Plan Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions Condition of Light: Day Observation Facility, Elevation: GVT, 534 ft msl Observation Time: 1646 CDT Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles Direction from Accident Site: 0° Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 4000 ft agl Temperature/Dew Point: 33°C / 22°C Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 25000 ft agl Visibility 12 Miles Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 10 knots, 170° Visibility (RVR): 0 ft Altimeter Setting: 29 inches Hg Visibility (RVV): Precipitation and Obscuration: Departure Point: DALLAS, TX (DAL) Type of Flight Plan Filed: None Destination: Type of Clearance: None Departure Time: 1430 CDT Type of Airspace: Airport Information Airport: MAJORS FIELD (GVT) Runway Surface Type: Asphalt Airport Elevation: 534 ft Runway Surface Condition: Dry Runway Used: 17 IFR Approach: None Runway Length/Width: 8029 ft / 150 ft VFR Approach/Landing: Precautionary Landing; Traffic Pattern Wreckage and Impact Information Crew Injuries: 2 None Aircraft Damage: Substantial Passenger Injuries: 13 None Aircraft Fire: None Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft Explosion: None Total Injuries: 15 None Latitude, Longitude: Administrative Information Investigator In Charge (IIC): WILLIAM H GAMBLE Adopted Date: 09/13/1994 Additional Participating Persons: GENE BLAND; DALLAS, TX Publish Date: Investigation Docket: NTSB accident and incident dockets serve as permanent archival information for the NTSB’s investigations. Dockets released prior to June 1, 2009 are publicly available from the NTSB’s Record Management Division at [email protected], or at 800-877-6799. Dockets released after this date are available at http://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms/. Page 5 of 6 FTW93FA185 The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), established in 1967, is an independent federal agency mandated by Congress through the Independent Safety Board Act of 1974 to investigate transportation accidents, determine the probable causes of the accidents, issue safety recommendations, study transportation safety issues, and evaluate the safety effectiveness of government agencies involved in transportation. The NTSB makes public its actions and decisions through accident reports, safety studies, special investigation reports, safety recommendations, and statistical reviews. The Independent Safety Board Act, as codified at 49 U.S.C. Section 1154(b), precludes the admission into evidence or use of any part of an NTSB report related to an incident or accident in a civil action for damages resulting from a matter mentioned in the report. Page 6 of 6 FTW93FA185.