Friday, April 17, 2015

Cessna 421B Golden Eagle, N421PK: Accident occurred April 17, 2015 in Diboll, Angelina County, Texas

http://registry.faa.gov/N421PK 


NTSB Identification: CEN15LA199
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, April 17, 2015 in Diboll, TX
Probable Cause Approval Date: 08/25/2015
Aircraft: CESSNA 421B, registration: N421PK
Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Minor.

NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot reported that, after a flight the day before the accident flight, he requested that the fixed-base operator (FBO) top off the tip tanks with fuel. Before the accident flight the next morning, he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane; there was no water in the fuel sample, which appeared to be blue, similar to 100LL aviation fuel. The pilot performed an engine run-up before takeoff, and no anomalies were noted. During climbout, the airplane vibrated slightly, and the climb performance degraded. The airplane reached 2,100 ft above ground level, and the left engine then sputtered and lost all power. Shortly after, the right engine also lost all power, and the pilot conducted a forced landing to a highway median. The smell of Jet A fuel was prominent at the accident scene. 

A postaccident examination of the reciprocating engines revealed that they exhibited signs of detonation, consistent with having been operated with Jet A fuel, and a review of fueling records revealed that the airplane had been serviced with Jet A fuel instead of the required 100LL aviation fuel. Further, the FBO employee who fueled the airplane reported that he mistakenly serviced the airplane with 53 gallons of Jet A fuel; examination of the fuel tank filler ports revealed placards next to the ports indicating that only 100LL fuel was to be used. A credit card receipt signed by the pilot also showed that the airplane was serviced with Jet A fuel. The FBO employee also noted that the nozzle on the Jet A fuel truck was small and round like the nozzle on the aviation gas fuel truck. According to the airport manager, the larger Jet A nozzle, which was J-shaped with an opening of 2 3/4 inches, had recently been switched to a smaller, round nozzle; switching to a smaller fuel nozzle increased the chances that aircraft that needed 100LL fuel could be misfueled with Jet A fuel.

The Federal Aviation Administration had issued an airworthiness directive (AD) about 26 years before the accident requiring that the filler ports be equipped with restrictors to preclude misfueling; the restrictors reduced the fuel filler diameter to 1 5/8 inches. A review of the airplane’s maintenance records indicated that the AD had been accomplished; however, an examination of the airplane revealed that it was not equipped with the required restrictors. Based on the evidence, the engine likely lost power due to the use of the improper fuel type. Further, the noncompliance with the AD increased the possibility that the airplane could be misfueled with Jet A fuel, as occurred before the accident.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The total loss of engine power due to the use of an improper fuel type. Contributing to the accident were the servicing of the airplane with the improper fuel, noncompliance with an airworthiness directive, and the fuel nozzle installed on the fueling truck.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 17, 2015 at 0745 central daylight time, a Cessna 421B airplane, N421PK, lost engine power made a forced landing onto a highway near Diboll, Texas. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed from the Angelina County Airport (LFK), Lufkin, Texas at 0737 and was en route to the West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas.

According to the pilot, he landed the airplane the day before and requested that the tip tanks be topped off with fuel. The next morning he performed a preflight inspection on the airplane; there was no water in the fuel sample, which appeared blue like 100LL aviation gasoline. After a normal engine run-up, he and the two passengers departed. During the climb out, the airplane had a slight vibration and the climb performance was degraded. The airplane reached 2,100 feet above ground level and the left engine sputtered and lost all power. Within 30 seconds, the right engine also lost all power and he descended for a forced landing. The airplane landed hard and came to rest in the grassy median of a highway. During the accident sequence the wings and fuselage were damaged and the right fuel tank ruptured. The pilot added that the smell of Jet A fuel was prominent at the accident scene.

The fixed based operator (FBO) employee who fueled the airplane stated that the pilot requested that he top off the tip tanks with fuel. The employee mistook the accident airplane for a similar airplane that uses Jet A fuel. He brought the Jet A tuck over and fueled the airplane. He noted that the nozzle on the Jet A fuel truck was small and round like the nozzle on the aviation gas fuel truck. The round nozzles were always on the Jet A fuel truck because of the prevalent military helicopter traffic utilizing the FBO's services. He stated that it was a lot easier to fuel the helicopters with the round nozzle. He did not know who changed the nozzles and recalled that they were always like that. He stated that the pilot paid for the fuel and signed the receipt, which noted Jet A fuel was used.

According to the LFK airport manager, the nozzle was switched to the small round nozzle in order to more easily and efficiently fuel the military helicopters that were serviced at the airport. The usual nozzle for Jet A was a larger J-shaped nozzle with an opening of 2 ¾ inches.

Fuel records obtained from LFK revealed that the accident airplane was fueled with 53 gallons of Jet A on the day prior to the accident. A review of the records revealed a credit card receipt signed by the pilot. The printed receipt showed 53 gallons of Jet A with FGII additive. The FBO's invoice had Jet A and Avgas preprinted on the form; the details of the sale were annotated on the invoice, including a circling around "Jet A".

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for single engine and multi-engine land airplane. He also held an airplane instrument rating. On April 30, 2014, the pilot was issued a third class medical certificate without limitations or waivers. The pilot report that he had accumulated about 3,000 total flight hours, 500 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. In the preceding 90 and 30 days he had flown 39 and 10 hours respectively in the accident airplane make and model.

The FBO employee was a current line serviceman and possessed the required training to fuel aircraft. On January 13, 2015, he passed the AvFuel Quality Assurance Training tests which were administered by the FBO management. The manager had never experienced an aircraft misfueling under his direction in the past.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The 6 seat, low wing, retractable landing gear airplane, serial number 421B0830, was manufactured in 1975. The airplane was powered by two reciprocating GTSIO-520-H Continental Motors engines rated at 375-horsepower, which each drove a 3-blade, full feathering, constant speed McCauley propeller. The airplane was equipped with main outboard fuel tanks (tip tanks) and inboard auxiliary fuel tanks.

A review of the maintenance logbooks revealed that on April 10, 1997, the airplane registration was changed from German registration D-IAEL to United States (US) registration N421PK. An entry in the records noted that the aircraft mechanic found the airplane to meet the requirements for a US standard-normal category airworthiness certificate. Issuance of the airworthiness certificate indicated that all applicable airworthiness directives were completed. The listing also showed Airworthiness Directive (AD) 87-21-02 R1, had been previously complied with.

The last annual inspection was completed on October 17, 2014, at an aircraft total time of 5,212.2 hours. A list of the applicable airworthiness directives were signed off as completed.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 0753, the automated weather observation at LFK, located 5 miles northeast of the accident site, reported wind calm, 10 miles visibility, overcast cloud layer at 800 feet, temperature 66°F, dew point, 63° F, and altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

A postaccident examination of the airplane and engines was conducted on April 24, 2015. The engines exhibited signs of detonation. The cylinders showed no combustion deposits, scrape marks were noted on the cylinder walls and metal particles were noted on the piston face. The sparkplugs showed signs of normal wear when compared to a Champion Check-A-Plug comparison card, but heavy dark deposits were noted in the electrode areas. No water contamination was found in either fuel strainer bowl. The airplane's fuel tank filler ports were not equipped with restrictors a required by AD 87-21-02 R1. Two fuel placards were located near the filler ports, one read: AVGAS ONLY – grade 100LL. The other placard, located just under the filler port read: Fuel, 100/130 aviation grade min, useable 50 gal.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Cessna Service Information Letter

On July 20, 1984, Cessna Aircraft Company issued a Service Information Letter ME84-31: Fuel Filler Diameter Modification and External Turbo Placard Removal. This was effective for the accident airplane and stated in part: fuel filler modification kits are being made available to reduce the size of the filler port on multiengine piston aircraft. The reduced size fuel port is sized to allow normal fueling with aviation gasoline hose nozzles but will prevent entry of the larger jet fuel hose nozzles as an aid in reducing misfueling errors. However, the only positive method of ensuring that correct fuel is used it to carefully follow proper fueling procedures.

Airworthiness Directive

On June 16, 1989, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Airworthiness Directive (AD) 87-21-02 R1, to preclude misfueling of an airplane which would result in an engine failure. The AD mandated within the next 12 calendar months, for all applicable aircraft, all fuel filler openings should be modified in accordance with ME84-31. The accident airplane was included in the applicable aircraft.

NTSB Identification: CEN15LA199
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, April 17, 2015 in Diboll, TX
Aircraft: CESSNA 421B, registration: N421PK
Injuries: 1 Serious, 2 Minor.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. NTSB investigators may not have traveled in support of this investigation and used data provided by various sources to prepare this aircraft accident report.

On April 17, 2015 at 0745 central daylight time, a Cessna 421B airplane, N421PK, made a forced landing onto a highway near Diboll, Texas. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot sustained serious injuries and the two passengers sustained minor injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight departed from the Angelina County Airport (LFK), Lufkin, Texas at 0737 and was en route to the West Houston Airport (IWS), Houston, Texas. 

According to the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector the airplane experienced a dual engine failure after departure and the pilot made a forced landing onto the highway. The airplane came to rest in the grassy median and the right fuel tank ruptured during the accident sequence. The smell of Jet-A fuel was prominent at the accident scene. 

Fuel records obtained from KLFK revealed that the accident airplane was fueled with 53 gallons of Jet-A on the previous day.



Edd Hendee and his wife, Nina 



ANGELINA COUNTY, TX (KTRE) -  Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter confirmed Thursday that an employee at the airport put the wrong kind of fuel in the twin-engine Cessna 421B that crashed on US Highway 59 south of Diboll last week.


Suiter said that the county had to let the employee go because of the mistake even though the young man is well-liked. The county judge also said that according to protocol the pilot is supposed to be present when his or her plane is being fueled.

In addition, Suiter said the pilot, Edd Campbell Hendee, of Houston, signed the receipt that listed the fuel that was put in his plane, jet fuel. Hendee is the owner of Taste of Texas, a well-known Houston restaurant.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Cessna 421B took off from the Angelina County airport and was on its way to Houston. After takeoff, the plane experienced some type of mechanical issue and went down into the inside southbound lane of US 59, then skidded into the grassy median.

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board stated that the plane's right fuel tank ruptured in the crash, and “[T]he smell of Jet-A fuel was prominent at the accident scene.”

Hendee and his two passengers were taken to a Lufkin hospital for treatment of their injuries. CHI St. Luke's Memorial spokeswoman Yana Ogletree said that Hendee was flown to a Houston hospital later that day.

A relative of Hendee published an account what happened on April 17 on the Taste of Texas Facebook page.

“This afternoon the FAA verified that the airport loaded the airplane with jet fuel (kerosene) instead of aviation gasoline which is very high octane gasoline,” the Facebook post stated. “Kerosene will not run in an engine or engines like Edd has in that airplane. Edd's airplane cleared the fuel lines of gasoline and then the kerosene hit. Bad news and worse news.”

The family member wrote that Hendee was on a business flight from Kansas City to Houston. When Hendee crossed over into Texas, “big nasty thunderstorms” were rolling across the Lone Star State.

According to the Facebook post, Hendee made the decision to land at the Angelina County Airport. They put a tarp on the Cessna, topped off its tanks and spent the night at a hotel. The next morning, Hendee did a pre-flight check and took off.

The Facebook post stated that after Hendee got to an altitude of about 1,500 feet, he noticed that something was wrong.

“Suddenly one engine begins to choke. Fair enough, this happens, he trims up and does what he needs to do if he loses that engine,” the Facebook post stated. “He has trained for this for years, over and over. The engine dies. It is working no more. But the ‘good engine' is showing the same signs and a few seconds later it quits.”

At that point, the plane was like a “poor glider,” according to the post. Hendee knew he had to trade altitude for speed and pointed the plane's nose down to maintain his speed, the Facebook post stated. However, he quickly hit a cloud layer and lost visibility.

“We heard from the tower that he declared an emergency and was very business-like on the radio,” the Facebook post stated.

When Hendee's plane came out of the cloud layer, he was at an altitude of about 700 feet, the Facebook post stated.

“Edd has at best a few seconds to choose a landing spot and then he has to get busy making preparations to bring the airplane to the spot and make it happen,” the Facebook post stated.

According to the post, Hendee spotted US Highway 59, and as luck would have it, he was already lined up, so he didn't have to make any turns. He spotted a break in the traffic right where he needed to put the Cessna down.

“He drops his landing gear and does the very best he can to flare the airplane to slow his vertical drop before they hit,” the Facebook post stated. “He misses the light poles, hits the highway and bounces, crushing his left landing gear. They come down again. The right landing gear collapses and is torn away, and Lord knows what happens to the nose wheel. But it's gone.”

The Facebook post stated that the twin-engine plane skidded down the highway and wound up in the median, where the wet soil helped slow it down even further.

“Edd asks his passengers to clear the plane as he shuts down all of the electrical and takes care of the airplane,” the Facebook post stated. “Finally Edd comes out, slowly, and limps over to the side of the highway and lies down. His back hurts.”

The writer of the Facebook post said God was protecting Hendee and his two passengers throughout the entire incident. According to the post, Hendee shattered a vertebrae, and one of the pieces wound up in Hendee's spinal canal. The post said Hendee could have wound up paralyzed from the waist down.

“As it is, they think his body will heal itself entirely in 90 days,” the post stated. “The body will consume that piece in the spinal canal.”

https://www.facebook.com/TheTasteofTexas

http://www.ktre.com


A North Texas aircraft recovery company dismantles the Cessna 421B that force landed on US Hwy 59 S. on Fri., April 17, 2015.



The company is dismantling the plane screw by screw, bolt by bolt.



ANGELINA COUNTY, TX (KTRE) - A North Texas company with more than 30 years in aircraft recovery has begun the task of dismantling the Cessna 421B that crashed Friday in South Angelina County just a few minutes after taking off from the Angelina County Airport bound for Houston.

Federal authorities asked Angelina County for a secure place the plane could be held until a recovery company could collect it.

When the plane went down on Friday, April 17, 2015, there were three people on board. The pilot - Houston restaurateur Ed Campbell Hendee - and two passengers. All were treated initially at CHI St.Luke's Memorial in Lufkin. It's believed Hendee continued care in Houston.

As for the investigation into the crash, Angelina County is not involved.

"We just provided a secure location to store the plane," said Angelina County Judge Wes Suiter.

At the secure location, the retrieval company is taking apart the plane piece by piece. All parts will be loaded onto a trailer and carted to a hangar for the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to begin their thorough probe into the downed plane.

The destination for the wreckage is going to be the Dallas area.

The owner of this aircraft recovery company said when he delivers all the plane parts to that hangar for the NTSB and FAA, his job is done. The company has been in business 30-plus years. They've worked more than 100 plane crashes in Central and West Texas. This is their first wreckage recovery in East Texas.

Original article can be found here:  http://www.kltv.com


ANGELINA COUNTY, TX (KTRE) - A Houston man has been flown to a Houston hospital for injuries he suffered in a twin-engine plane crash on US 59 south of Diboll Friday morning.
 

 "To see it actually come down and land right there beside you, it was like, 'Wow," but I've never actually seen it," said Jared Swenson, a motorist who witnessed the plane crash. "As I got closer, I realized his propellers weren't spinning."

Officials from FAA are investigating the crash.

DPS had to shut down part of the northbound lane, as part of a wing was on the highway. The scene was cleared by 4:15 p.m.

According to DPS, the Cessna 421B twin-engine took off from the Angelina County airport and was on its way to Houston. After takeoff, the plane experienced some type of mechanical issue and went down into the inside southbound lane of US 59, then skidded into the grassy median. 

"How many times do you see a plane descend, see the whole process, as the fuselage and the plane actually takes the load, bounces right next to you, and skids to a stop in the middle of 59? Not very often," Swenson said.

Swenson said the pilot was both blessed and skilled. He added that it looked as though the pilot made a decision about where to land as the plane was going down. 

The pilot and his passengers were stunned but coherent when Swenson approached them. Swenson explained that one passenger kept thanking him and trying to hand him a business card. He told the man to just lie down. 

Swenson said it wasn't like any other drive to the office.

The pilot is Edd Campbell Hendee. He and his two passengers were taken to a Lufkin hospital for treatment.

According to CHI St. Luke's Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Yana Ogletree, Hendee was flown to a Houston hospital. He is in stable condition. 

Hendee is the owner of Taste of Texas, a well-known Houston restaurant.

http://www.ktre.com












DIBOLL, Texas - A Houston restaurant owner was returning from a business trip when his Cessna 421B force-landed on Highway 59 near Diboll Friday morning.

Edd Hendee, who owns the Taste of Texas restaurant near Town and Country, was piloting the plane when it lost power and went down, landing in a median on the highway.

A few of Hendee's friends and business associates were traveling with him at the time.

The Texas Department of Transportation is investigating.




Diboll (KYTX) - A twin-engine plane makes an emergency landing in Angelina County.

It happened around 7:40 Friday morning on Highway 59 South in Diboll. 

The sheriff's department says the plane landed on the highway, then veered into the median. 

Three people were on board at the time. 

The pilot was identified as Edd Campbell Hendee (63) from Houston. 

Hendee and his two passengers were transported to CHI St. Luke's Hospital in Lufkin for possible treatment.

Alton Lenderman with the Angelina County Sheriff's Department says they are still on the scene and the plane has not been removed. 

The FAA along with the Angelina County Sheriff's Department is investigating.

The Cessna 421B twin engine plane departed the Angelina County Airport en-route to Houston. 

TxDOT says Northbound motorists should expect delays as the inside lane of traffic is closed during the clean-up and any debris removal.

Southbound motorists could also see delays with inside lane closures as needed. 

Hazardous material crews are responding to the scene to remove fuel on the roadway and median.

Drivers should slow down and watch for workers, law enforcement personnel and emergency vehicles in the area for the next several hours.

CBS19 is following this story and will pass along any updates as we get them.




Three people have been taken to a Lufkin hospital for what appears to be cautionary reasons following a twin-engine plane crash on US 59 south of Diboll Friday morning.

The crash occurred at 7:47 a.m. and the plane landed in the median of US 59, a half-mile south of Diboll.

Officials from FAA are on the way to investigate the crash.

DPS is having to shut down part of the northbound lane, as part of a wing is on the highway.

According to DPS, the Cessna 421B twin-engine took off from the Angelina County airport and was on its way to Houston. 

After takeoff, the plane experienced some type of mechanical issue and went down into the inside southbound lane of US 59, then skidded into the grassy median.

The pilot is Edd Campbell Hendee. He and his two passengers were taken to a Lufkin hospital for treatment.

Original article can be found here:   http://www.kltv.com









5 comments:

  1. Plane was fueled with jet fuel by the Lufkin fbo.

    ReplyDelete
  2. . That's why I prefer avgas and jet fuel be in different locations and always check the fuel truck .

    ReplyDelete
  3. Many turbines can burn Jet A mixed with Avgas fuel (especially older jet engines).

    But not with the Cessna 421B --- it would definitely result in engine failure ... or severe damage.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yikes, we flew two Cessna 310's for 25 years and Dad told me early is I can remember stories of Jet A in twin Cessna's. Thus, we never EVER let anyone fuel our airplane when we are not there to confirm 100LL. Very important folks if you fly these birds trust only yourself.

    ReplyDelete