NTSB Identification: WPR16LA066
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, February 08, 2016 in Santa Barbara, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 09/06/2017
Aircraft: BEECH B36TC, registration: N113TM
Injuries: 1 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 airline transport pilot was conducting a test flight following a recent replacement of the turbo wastegate controller, at which time the mechanic also tightened the intercooler hose. The pilot reported that, during the ground roll and initial climb, the engine tone was continuous, and both the manifold pressure and rpm indications were normal. As the airplane reached about 300 ft mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restore engine power by switching the fuel tanks and cycling both the “low” and “high” settings of the fuel boost pump but was unsuccessful. He leveled the wings and extended the flaps to prepare for a forced landing, and a few seconds later, the airplane impacted a slough about 1/2 mile southeast of the departure end of the runway.
A postaccident examination of the fuel system did not reveal any anomalies or obstructions. Further, examination of the engine did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions, except for the separation of the intercooler from its mounts, which had resulted from the accident. During a test run, the engine was not able to produce rated horsepower until the intercooler was removed; however, the engine was still able to produce normally aspirated engine power with the intercooler installed.
The Pilot’s Operating Handbook warned against using the “high” fuel boost pump position when the engine-driven fuel pump is operating because it can result in an excessively rich fuel/air mixture and engine failure. Thus, the pilot’s attempt to restart the engine with the fuel boost pump at the “high” setting may have prevented engine power from being restored; however, even if engine power had been restored, given the airplane’s low altitude when the engine lost power, it is unlikely that the pilot would have had sufficient time to complete a successful engine restart and continue safe flight. The investigation could not determine the reason for the total loss of engine power during initial climbout.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
A total loss of engine power during initial climbout for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination and testing of the engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Van Nuys, California
Continental Motors, Inc.; Mobile, Alabama
Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N113TM
NTSB Identification: WPR16LA066
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, February 08, 2016 in Santa Barbara, CA
Aircraft: BEECH B36TC, registration: N113TM
Injuries: 1 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.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On February 8, 2016, about 1741 Pacific standard time, a Beechcraft B36TC airplane, N113TM, completed a forced landing near Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA), Santa Barbara, California, following a total loss of engine power during takeoff. The airline transport pilot, and sole occupant, received minor injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed SBA at 1740. The airplane was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that he planned to fly to 7,000 feet mean sea level (msl) to verify the turbocharger was functioning normally, as it had been recently serviced for a minor power issue. After an uneventful preflight inspection and engine run-up, the pilot departed runway 25. During his takeoff roll, the pilot noted the engine tachometer and manifold pressure instruments displayed normal readings and the engine tone was continuous. When the airplane reached 300 feet msl the engine lost power. After the pilot executed a tight left turn to return to the airport, he switched fuel tanks and cycled the "low" and "high" modes of the fuel boost pump, but was unsuccessful in restoring power to the engine. An air traffic controller approved the pilot to land on taxiway A, but the pilot decided to land in a nearby field. He leveled the wings, extended flaps, and moments later the airplane impacted a slough about one-half mile southeast of the departure end of runway 25. Photographs furnished by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed substantial damage to the leading edge of the left wing and the forward fuselage.
According to archived air traffic control (ATC) information, the pilot was instructed to depart runway 25 and turn right 20 degrees for traffic. Moments after his departure, the pilot reported to the controller that he was going to return to the airport. The controller cleared the pilot to land on any taxiway, but the pilot communicated that he would not be able to reach the airport.
During a postaccident examination of the airplane, an FAA inspector observed the fuel selector in the right fuel tank position. Power was applied to the airplane a few days after the accident by representatives of the airport with oversight from an FAA airworthiness inspector. Initially, the left fuel gauge indicated a total fuel quantity of about one-quarter tank, and the right fuel gauge needle was positioned in the yellow arc, but indicated that the tank's fuel quantity was less than one-quarter. When the avionics switch was re-cycled, the left fuel gauge displayed a fuel quantity above three-eighths and the right fuel gauge showed a quantity of about three-eighths. The inspector reported that 24 gallons of 100LL aviation grade gasoline were drained from the right wing fuel tank, and about 9 gallons were drained from the left wing fuel tank.
AIRPLANE INFORMATION
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1983 and registered to the pilot on August 25, 2014. The pilot reported that he purchased the airplane from a bank following a repossession and without the airplane's maintenance records. A review of the airplane's registration file revealed that it was registered to its previous owner in 1999 under the name Tango Mike Enterprises. The previous owner reported that she operated the airplane for approximately 200 hours in the 15 years it was under her ownership, but was unable to locate the airplane's maintenance records after the airplane was repossessed.
The airplane was powered by a Continental TSIO-520-UB, direct drive, air cooled, 300 hp engine. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the engine was removed on July 1, 2015 at 1,555 total flight hours for an engine overhaul, which was completed on August 19, 2015. The engine was subsequently reinstalled on December 15, 2015. The logbook records indicate that a mechanic completed an annual inspection of the airframe and propeller on November 11, 2015, while the engine was away. Two records in the aircraft logbook showed that the vacuum pump was replaced on January 28, 2016, and an intake intercooler hose was tightened on February 8, 2016, the day of the accident flight. According to the airplane's tachometer, the engine had accumulated a total of 1,565 total flight hours at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, the airplane was delivered by a maintenance facility about 2 weeks before the accident following the engine overhaul. The mechanic who reinstalled the overhauled engine reported that he completed several maintenance flights to "break in" the engine before he delivered it to the accident pilot in Van Nuys, California. At the time of the delivery the pilot was informed that the instrument pressure pump failed during the flight and would need to be replaced. The pump was replaced the following day. The pilot subsequently completed a short flight in the accident airplane, during which time he observed slightly low manifold pressure. The pilot then asked a mechanic to replace the waste gate and controller, as they had not been overhauled during the airplane's recent maintenance work. Subsequent to the work being completed, the mechanic reported to the pilot that the engine ran normally after he tightened a loose intercooler hose.
TESTS AND RESEARCH
Fuel System
The pilot reported that he used both a combination of the fuel gauges and his onboard fuel totalizer to monitor fuel quantity during flight.
The fuel system had a total fuel capacity of 108 gallons and was comprised of two interconnected bladder-type fuel cells in each wing; a 14 gallon outboard cell and an inboard 40 gallon cell. The tanks were filled utilizing a single filler neck located on the outboard wing fuel cell. Fuel is directed from the inboard tank through a fuel return line to a fuel selector and downstream to a dual pressure electric boost pump before the fuel reaches the engine driven pump. Total fuel quantity for each wing is measured by two float-operated fuel sensors located in each fuel cell. The sensors are electric and connected in series to a fuel quantity indicator gauge on the cockpit instrument panel.
The airplane was examined by representatives of the airframe and engine manufacturers under the supervision of the NTSB IIC in Santa Barbara, California.
An inspection of the fuel system revealed that both floats from the right and left fuel quantity indicators displayed normal wear, and the gauges exhibited normal measurements when the float arms were rotated. The inboard and outboard fuel sensors were tested for each wing, and the output signals to the instrument panel fuel quantity gauges were observed when the airplane's battery power was applied. Both the right and left wing instrument fuel gauges displayed empty and full indications when the inboard and outboard fuel sensors were at the lower and upper stops, respectively. The right and left fuel tank gauges also displayed half-tank indications when one sensor was in the up position and the second sensor set in the low position. Resistance measurements taken for each sensor were within the prescribed limitations of the manufacturer, with the exception of the right wing outboard fuel tank sensor, which displayed an open circuit in the full position. Fuel was observed in the fuel strainer bowl, and the fuel strainer screen was free of contaminants.
A subsequent examination of the outboard fuel tank sensor was completed at the airplane manufacturer's facility with oversight from the FAA. The results revealed that the sensor displayed 0.06 ohms in both the empty and full positions, indicative of an empty fuel tank. An inspection of the sensor showed arc damage on the outer surface of the sensor at the point of contact between the rod and the pin. Additionally, the internal contact appeared off-center on the internal resistor, with most of the contact movement taking place on the un-wound portion of the internal resistor.
Both the low and high settings of the fuel boost pump were tested with power applied to the airplane; a plastic bag was used to collect samples of fuel at the fuel transducer. An audible sound was heard when the boost pump motor was tested in both the low and high modes.
Engine Examination
The engine crankshaft was manually rotated by hand at the propeller, and rotational continuity was established throughout the engine to the drive shaft of the instrument pressure pump at the accessory housing. Thumb compression and suction were obtained on all six cylinders. The cylinder combustion chambers and barrels were examined with a borescope, and no evidence of foreign object ingestion or detonation were observed. The combustion chambers displayed color signatures consistent with normal operation.
The top Tempest URHB-32E model spark plugs were removed for inspection. Each spark plug exhibited signatures consistent with normal wear, but were slightly dark and sooty.
Both magnetos remained attached to the engine case. The port holes to both magnetos were removed to observe the movement of the distributor gear. Both rotated normally when the propeller was operated by hand.
A Merlyn Products, Inc. induction air intercooler system had been installed in the airplane on July 30, 1987 at a tachometer time of 354.3 flight hours, and completed in accordance with supplemental type certificate numbers SA 3654NM and SE 3653NM. A postaccident inspection of the intercooler system showed that the induction hose from the intercooler to the induction system had separated from the unit, and the induction hose from the intercooler to the turbo compressor had also separated from the intercooler unit.
The engine was shipped to the engine manufacturer's facility in Mobile, Alabama. A subsequent engine examination and test run was completed by the engine manufacturer, with oversight provided by the NTSB IIC. The engine condition was considered optimal for testing and did not require any replacement of parts. Initial test results revealed that the engine manifold pressure did not exceed about 31 in Hg and 2,544 rpm when the throttle was advanced to full power. An induction leak was subsequently discovered at the intercooler's machined mounting holes. After the turbo discharged routing was returned to its standard configuration, the engine achieved rated horsepower, about 37 in Hg of manifold pressure at 2,756 rpm.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The only purposes for the Aux Fuel Pump HI position are:
1) To prime the engine prior to starting.
2) To provide an alternate source of fuel pressure if the engine-driven fuel pump fails.
The Emergency Procedures section of the Pilot's Operating Handbook warns operators against use of the high boost pump when the engine-drive pump is operating, as the fuel/air mixture could become excessively rich, which may lead to engine failure.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Monday, February 08, 2016 in Santa Barbara, CA
Aircraft: BEECH B36TC, registration: N113TM
Injuries: 1 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 February 8, 2016, about 1741 Pacific standard time, a Beechcraft B36TC airplane, N113TM, completed a forced landing near Santa Barbara Municipal Airport (SBA), Santa Barbara, California, following a total loss of power during takeoff. The airline transport pilot, and sole occupant, was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight that departed SBA at 1740. The airplane was originating at the time of the accident.
The pilot reported that he planned to fly to 7,000 feet to verify the turbo charger was functioning normally as it had been recently serviced for a minor power issue. After an uneventful preflight inspection and engine run-up, the pilot departed runway 25. During his takeoff roll, the pilot noted the engine tachometer and manifold pressure instruments displayed normal readings and the engine tone was continuous. When the airplane reached 300 feet mean sea level the engine lost power. After the pilot executed a tight left turn to return to the airport, he switched fuel tanks and cycled the "low" and "high" modes of the fuel boost pump, but was unsuccessful in restoring power to the engine. An air traffic controller approved the pilot to land on taxiway A, but the pilot changed his mind and decided to land in a nearby field. He leveled the wings and extended flaps and moments later the airplane impacted a slough about one half mile southeast of the departure end of runway 25. The pilot disengaged the magnetos, battery, and alternator before he evacuated the airplane.
The airplane was retained for further examination.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - The pilot of a private plane said he was "not gonna make it" when he was cleared to return to the Santa Barbara Airport moments after take off during an engine failure.
The audio transmissions between the tower and the pilot were brief, direct and set off a full response by the airport patrol and fire units.
The plane landed hard just short of the runway in a slough at 5:40 p.m. It is an area near the UC Santa Barbara Police headquarters and facilities for the Goleta West Sanitary District.
The aircraft is a Beech Bonanza single engine plane. Airport officials have not released the pilots name. Records on the plan show a name of Donald D. Johnson from Minden, Nevada.
It is not known where the plane was headed.
The emergency radio communications began as the plane lost power when it was climbing and turning to the left at 300 feet. "Plane's coming back," was a message sent back to the tower on the radio. The air traffic controller is heard with a quick response to advise the area was clear saying "you can land on the taxi way sir if you need."
About 30 seconds later, with the plane down, the pilot says, "I'm OK." In a relieved voice the controller says, "Thank God."
The plane did not break up upon landing, and there was no known environmental damage to the slough. It landed in an area that had been part of a plant and native vegetation restoration. At times, during certain tidal conditions, the water level in the slough is much higher than what it was Monday evening.
Santa Barbara City Fire Station 8 is based at the airport and sent two engines to the scene.
An AMR ambulance took the pilot to Cottage Hospital after he climbed from the plane on his own. He reportedly had back pains.
The runway was closed briefly. It was checked for any obstructions or debris and declared clear not long after the accident.
The National Transportation Safety Board is working with the Federal Aviation Administration on the investigation. They will determine what caused the engine failure and if all proper procedures were followed.
A report is expected in 180 days.
Story and photo: http://www.keyt.com
The pilot, who prefers to remain anonymous, glided onto a brush-covered area at the edge of the slough at about 5:41 p.m. and walked away from the plane with minor lower-back pain, Airport Operations Manager Tracy Lincoln told reporters at a Tuesday morning press conference. The pilot was taken to Cottage Hospital. He was the plane’s sole occupant. According to Lincoln, the plane experienced “complete power loss” at 300 feet above the airport’s westbound Runway 25.
Before landing, the pilot made one quick radio call to aircraft controllers, saying he would not make it to the taxiway where they recommended he land, said Lincoln. First on scene was an Airport Patrol officer, who notified the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) at about 6:02 p.m. The airfield closed immediately after the accident, but was reopened at 6:14 p.m. without any flight delays. The Bonanza was secured for the evening, said Lincoln, and by 10:00 a.m. Tuesday city firefighters and workers from Big Red Crane Company had arrived on scene to move the plane from the slough’s habitat restoration area.
He “pretty much nailed the only spot he’d be dry,” said City Airport Planner Andrew Bermond at the press conference. After the pilot’s safety, fuel — none of which has been found as the engine remained intact — was Bermond’s next concern. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the crash, deemed an accident due to the engine failure.
Story and photo: http://www.independent.com
The Santa Barbara Airport is reporting that approximately 5:41pm tonight a single engine Beechcraft Bonanza, N113TM took off from runway 25 and experienced engine failure at 300 feet above the runway.
The pilot landed the plane in the Goleta Slough basin, experienced minor injuries and was transported to Cottage Hospital.
Tracy Lincoln, Airport Operations Manager was on the scene immediately, along with Airport Patrol and other Operation Specialists. At 6:14pm the Airport was reopened with no flight delays occurring.
Tomorrow at 9am there will be a press conference at the Santa Barbara Airport.
Article and comments: https://www.edhat.com
The pilot of a small plane was injured Monday when the plane's engine failed while departing Santa Barbara Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration confirms.
The FAA reports preliminary information shows a Beechcraft BE36 lost power after departing from Santa Barbara. The pilot returned to the airport but landed in a slough just outside the airport.
The pilot -- the only person on board -- suffered a back injury, according to the FAA. The aircraft was described as "substantially damaged."
The plane's tail number is reported to be N113TM. According to the FAA's plane registry, the aircraft is registered to Donald D. Johnson of Minden, Nevada. It is not clear if that man was the pilot involved in Monday's crash.
The FAA will investigate what caused the engine failure.
A short statement from the airport posted to Twitter said the airport remains open.
Source: http://www.ksby.com
A single-engine plane crashed into the Goleta Slough Monday evening after it lost power during takeoff.
A Beechcraft Bonanza N113TM plane was taking off from the main runway and the engine quit at 300 feet, Santa Barbara Airport spokeswoman Lynn Houston said.
The pilot crash-landed southwest of the runway in the slough around 5:40 p.m. and was later transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with minor injuries and complaints of bruises, she said.
"Gratefully no one is dead," she said.
Santa Barbara City Fire Battalion Chief Jim McCoy said the plane had major damage after the crash.
The pilot was looking for a place to land after he lost power and the freeway area looked too crowded, which resulted in the slough landing, McCoy said.
Santa Barbara Airport reopened as of 6:14 p.m. and had all runways open after the incident.
Airport Operations Manager Tracy Lincoln responded to the scene along with Airport Patrol and other operation specialists, according to the airport.
Story and photo: http://www.noozhawk.com
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Emergency crews responded to a a small plane crash on the southwest end of the Santa Barbara airport Monday afternoon.
The crash was reported at about 5:40 p.m. The non-commercial plane crashed in a slough area at the airport.
Rescuers say the pilot was the only one on board. He managed to get out of the wreckage on his own, but when he complained of back pain he was taken to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital.
A Santa Barbara Airport spokesperson said that the plane's relatively new engine failed at 300 feet after takeoff. The pilot glided the plane into the slough that connects to Goleta Beach.
The runway was closed briefly to allow emergency vehicles to safely maneuver to the crash site.
Airport operations manager Tracy Lincoln said not fuel was spilled. He credits the pilot for knowing what to do in an emergency.
The identity of the pilot has not been released and the wreckage has not yet been removed.
The NTSB is still investigating the cause of the incident.
Story and video: http://www.keyt.com
A small plane crashed Monday evening at Santa Barbara Airport when its single engine failed shortly after takeoff.
Emergency crews rushed to the scene at 5:41 p.m., and the pilot was brought to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital with only “bumps and bruises,” according to Lynn Houston, the airport’s marketing director. The male pilot was the only person in the plane and has not yet been identified.
Houston said the plane, a Beechcraft Bonanza, landed and slid into a slough area of the airport.
The Santa Barbara Police Department said officers also responded to the scene, but there was no fire and no injuries. The airport closed briefly and reopened at 6:14 p.m. No flights were delayed.
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