Saturday, October 29, 2016

Loss of Engine Power (Total): Cirrus SR22, N234PJ; accident occurred October 28, 2016 in Bloomfield, San Juan County, New Mexico (and) Incident occurred May 13, 2016 in Dothan, Alabama

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.

Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: http://app.ntsb.gov/pdf 

Investigation Docket - - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

http://registry.faa.gov/N234PJ

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Albuquerque, New Mexico
Cirrus Aircraft; Duluth, Minnesota 
Continental Motors Group; Mobile, Alabama 

Location: Bloomfield, NM
Accident Number: CEN17LA030
Date & Time: 10/28/2016, 0954 MDT
Registration: N234PJ
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 1 None
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal 

On October 28, 2016, at 0954 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus Design SR22 airplane, N234PJ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Bloomfield, New Mexico. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to Coastal King Aviation, LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico, at 0903. The intended destination was the Stevens Field Airport (PSO), Pagosa Springs, Colorado.

The pilot reported that shortly after leveling at a cruise altitude of 11,500 feet mean sea level, the engine starting "missing" and within two minutes lost power completely. His attempts to restore engine power were not successful. He was unable to locate a suitable forced landing site within the glide range of the airplane and elected to active the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. The airplane came to rest in an area of low brush and small trees. The aft fuselage/empennage separated from the airframe during the accident sequence and was located immediately adjacent to the airplane at the accident site.

A post-recovery engine examination was conducted under supervision of the NTSB investigator-in-charge. The engine cowling appeared intact and securely installed. The cowling was removed. The engine assembly appeared intact and undamaged, with one exception. The lower surface of the oil sump pan was dented consistent with contact from the nose landing gear strut on touch down. The propeller assembly remained securely attached to the engine propeller flange and appeared undamaged. The engine crankshaft rotated freely. The upper spark plugs exhibited normal operating signatures. Borescope examination of the cylinders did not reveal any anomalies. The magnetos and ignition harness appeared undamaged. Engine control continuity was confirmed. At the time of the postaccident examination, the recording hour (Hobbs) meter indicated 980.8 hours.

The examination revealed that the cap on the unmetered fuel tee fitting at the throttle body metering unit was not installed. The cap was subsequently recovered from the cylinder baffling immediately below the throttle body metering unit. Both the fitting and the cap appeared to be undamaged. The cap was subsequently reinstalled. A portable fuel supply was provided to the airframe at the left wing root and the engine was run on the airframe. The engine started without difficulty and ran at idle power for several minutes. Engine power was not increased above idle during the test run due to safety considerations.

Data downloaded from the onboard avionics indicated that the flight departed at 0903, and after takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 10,500 ft mean sea level (msl). About 0945, the airplane began a climb, reaching 11,400 ft msl about 2-1/2 minutes later. The engine speed and fuel flow were stable during this timeframe. About 0948:06, the engine speed and fuel flow decayed abruptly, and the airplane entered a gradual descent. The engine speed did not recover for the duration of the recorded data. The fuel flow initially decreased from about 18.0 gph before the event to 9.9 gph, before increasing to about 30.0 gph for a period of time. The recorded data ended at 0954.

A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed that the most recent annual inspection was completed on March 4, 2016, at 951.6 hours airframe total time. On May 19, 2016, at 959.3 hours total airframe time, the engine was removed due to a propeller strike event. [Federal Aviation Administration records revealed that on May 13, 2016, the accident airplane was involved in a propeller strike incident during landing at the Dothan Regional Airport (DHN).] A factory rebuilt engine was subsequently installed on September 7, 2016. A hard/overweight landing inspection was completed with no defects noted. According to the records, the propeller assembly and propeller governor were also overhauled and reinstalled at that time. The maintenance records noted that an engine run-up inspection was completed in accordance with the IO550 Permold Series Engine Installation and Operation Manual, section 3-2.7. The fuel system was adjusted in accordance with the Maintenance and Overhaul Manual (M-16), section 6-3.7 "Engine Operational Check."

Maintenance records indicated that on October 5, 2016, at 959.3 hours airframe total time, the engine manufacturer's fuel nozzles were removed and replaced with General Aviation Modifications Inc. fuel nozzles. On October 12, 2016, at 971.6 hours airframe total time, an operational flight check was completed in accordance with the IO550 Permold Engine Installation and Operation Manual, sections 4-2.3 and 4-2.3.2. In addition, a ground run was conducted in order to verify fuel system settings in accordance with sections 6-3.7.4.2 and 6-3.7.4.3 of the engine maintenance and overhaul manual. The airplane maintenance records contained no subsequent entries.

The Engine Maintenance and Overhaul Manual, section 6-3.7.4.2 Fuel System Operational Checkout with Calibrated Gauges, specified removal of the unmetered fuel port fitting cap at the throttle body metering unit in order to connect an external fuel pressure gauge. The procedure also specified reinstalling the cap once the testing and any necessary fuel system adjustments had been completed.

The Pilot's Operating Handbook indicated that the fuel flow transducer was installed between the fuel pump/mixture control and the throttle body metering unit, which was upstream in the fuel flow relative to the fuel port fitting. The engine driven fuel pump and mixture control are combined into one component. 

Pilot Information

Certificate: Private
Age: 52, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): None
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 10/29/2015
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 11/02/2015
Flight Time:  597.3 hours (Total, all aircraft), 482.5 hours (Total, this make and model), 503.4 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 5.2 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 5.2 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft), 5.2 hours (Last 24 hours, all aircraft)

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Registration: N234PJ
Model/Series: SR22 NO SERIES
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2005
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 1729
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 03/04/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3400 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 22 Hours
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 980.8 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: C91  installed, activated, did not aid in locating accident
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-N41B
Registered Owner: Coastal King Aviation LLC
Rated Power: 550 hp
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: FMN, 5506 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 16 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 0953 MDT
Direction from Accident Site: 280°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 6 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual:
Wind Direction: 120°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual:
Altimeter Setting: 30.25 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 12°C / 2°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Albuquerque, NM (ABQ)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Pagosa Springs, CO (PSO)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 0900 MDT
Type of Airspace: Class G 

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 None
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 None

Latitude, Longitude: 36.698056, -107.991667

NTSB Identification: CEN17LA030
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Friday, October 28, 2016 in Bloomfield, NM
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22, registration: N234PJ
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

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 October 28, 2016, about 1015 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus Design SR22 airplane, N234PJ, was substantially damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Bloomfield, New Mexico. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to Coastal King Aviation, LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the Albuquerque International Airport (ABQ), Albuquerque, New Mexico, about 0915. The intended destination was the Stevens Field Airport (PSO), Pagosa Springs, Colorado.


The pilot reported that a few minutes after leveling at a cruise altitude of 11,500 feet mean sea level, the engine starting "missing" and within two minutes lost power completely. His attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He was unable to locate a suitable forced landing site within the glide range of the airplane and subsequently elected to activate the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System. The airplane came to rest in an area of low brush and small trees. The aft fuselage/empennage separated from the airframe and was located immediately adjacent to the airplane at the accident site.

FAA Flight Standards District Office: FAA Birmingham FSDO-09

AIRCRAFT ON LANDING SUSTAINED UNKNOWN DAMAGE, DOTHAN, ALABAMA. 

Date: 13-MAY-16
Time: 20:00:00Z
Regis#: N234PJ
Aircraft Make: CIRRUS
Aircraft Model: SR22
Event Type: Incident
Highest Injury: Unknown
Damage: Unknown
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
City: DOTHAN
State: Alabama




BLOOMFIELD, N.M. — A Colorado man escaped injury when the small plane he was piloting crashed in an area of farmland in New Mexico.

New Mexico State Police say the Cirrus SR22 aircraft went down about 10 a.m. Friday some five miles east of Bloomfield.

They say 53-year-old Robert George Hart III of Pagosa Springs told responding officers that he was flying home after taking off from Albuquerque when the plane's engine malfunctioned.

Hart says the aircraft began to lose altitude so he activated the parachute on the plane and landed safely in an open area.

Authorities say the aircraft is registered to Coastal King Aviation LLC of Corpus Christi, Texas.

State Police say there was no property damage caused by the crash, which will be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board.

Source:   http://gazette.com

BLOOMFIELD  — The pilot of a single-engine plane that came down near Bloomfield this morning escaped with no injuries after deploying the plane's parachute and landing in an open field.

Robert Hart III, 53, of Pagosa Springs, Colo., was flying a Cirrus Model SR22 aircraft north from Albuquerque to Pagosa Springs when the plane's engine started to malfunction, according to New Mexico State Police press release.

Hart was flying about 5 miles east of Bloomfield around 10 a.m. when he activated the plane's parachute and used it to land the plane and him safely in an open field, the press release states.

The plane crashed along the San Juan River, just north of County Road 4990, according to San Juan County Sheriff's Office detective Lt. Kyle Lincoln.

No property damaged resulted from the crash, according to state police.

The plane was found on the south side of the San Juan River just north of 664 County Road 4990, according to coordinates provided by Lincoln.

The San Juan County Communications Authority received multiple calls about the incident, Lincoln said. One caller hiked down to make contact with Hart and reported that he had no injuries.

Sheriff's office deputies responded to the scene, along with the San Juan County Fire Department, paramedics from the San Juan Regional Medical Center and state police officers.

According to state police, the plane was registered to Coastal King Aviation LLC, based out of Corpus Christi, Texas.

The investigation is being handled by state police, and the National Transportation Safety Board has been contacted about the incident.

Story and photo: http://www.daily-times.com

1 comment:

  1. a mechanic not finishing the setup on the fuel system properly leaving fuel caps loose

    ReplyDelete