Sunday, April 21, 2019

Cirrus SR22, registered to and operated by AIRCCS LLC Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight, N422PB: Accident occurred July 07, 2015 near George Bush Intercontinental Airport (KIAH), Houston, Texas

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

Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas
Cirrus Aircraft Corporation; Duluth, Minnesota
Continental Motors Inc; Mobile, Alabama
Hartzell Propeller Inc; Piqua, Ohio
McCauley Propellers - Textron Aviation; Wichita, Kansas

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

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

https://registry.faa.gov/N422PB




Location: Houston, TX
Accident Number: CEN15LA298
Date & Time: 07/07/2015, 1137 CDT
Registration: N422PB
Aircraft: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP SR22
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Defining Event: Loss of engine power (total)
Injuries: 2 Minor
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Business 

On July 7, 2015, about 1137 central daylight time, a Cirrus SR-22 single-engine airplane, N422PB, descended under the canopy of the cirrus airframe parachute system (CAPS) and landed in a residential neighborhood at Houston, Texas. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by AIRCCS, LLC; Humble, Texas, as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed, and a flight plan had not been filed. The airplane departed George Bush Intercontinental/Houston Airport (IAH), Houston, Texas, at 1133, and was destined for Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas.

The pilot reported that during initial climb, he noticed increasing engine temperatures, so he reduced power in an attempt to lower the engine temperatures. When the airplane was about 900 feet above ground level (agl), the engine started to "detonate," and soon after, there was a complete loss of engine power. With no suitable forced landing area, the CAPS was deployed, and the airplane impacted terrain and came to rest upright next to a residence.

An on-scene wreckage examination showed there was adequate fuel on-board, consistent with aviation low-lead fuel. At the facility where the airplane had most recently been refueled, refueling unit records and a review of security camera video showed that the airplane had been refueled with aviation gasoline and not with jet fuel.

Avionics components containing non-volatile memory (NVM), which included engine performance data, were sent to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Vehicle Recorder Division for download. A review of the data for the accident flight found the engine rpm reached at least 3,500 rpm (engine speed above 3,500 rpm would not be recorded, since the maximum valve for the sensor is 3,500 rpm). Per the engine's Type Certificate, the maximum engine speed is 2,700rpm.

A review of maintenance records for the airplane revealed the propeller governor had been removed and inspected for proper operation, prior to the accident flight. The records also noted that no defects were observed on the governor, and the governor was reinstalled by maintenance personnel.

During the post-accident examination, the governor was removed from the engine and tested at McCauley Propeller, Columbus, Georgia. The test revealed the governor operated within the specified parameters for the unit. The examination noted that the propeller governor attaching nuts were rounded off and the washers for the governor were improperly stacked.

The engine was also removed from the airframe and shipped to Continental Motors, Mobile, Alabama, for examination/disassembly. The examination found that the governor drive gear was fractured in half and located in the oil sump. The governor drive gear teeth exhibited damage consistent with the governor driven gear being misaligned. The governor drive gear teeth also exhibited damage. A broken governor drive gear would result in insufficient oil pressure to drive the propeller governor and cause an engine to over speed.



The pilot did not submit an NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report form (NTSB Form 6120.1). 

Pilot Information


Certificate: Airline Transport
Age: 30
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: 3-point
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): Airplane Single-engine; Instrument Airplane
Toxicology Performed: No
Medical Certification: Unknown
Last FAA Medical Exam:
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 
Flight Time:



Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: CIRRUS DESIGN CORP
Registration: N422PB
Model/Series: SR22
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 2007
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 2379
Landing Gear Type: Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection:  Unknown
Certified Max Gross Wt.:
Time Since Last Inspection:
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time:
Engine Manufacturer: CONT MOTOR
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-550-N
Registered Owner: AIRCCS LLC
Rated Power: 310 hp
Operator: AIRCCS LLC
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan


Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: KIAH, 105 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 5 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1055 CDT
Direction from Accident Site: 85°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered / 3000 ft agl
Visibility:  10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 25000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 15 knots / 20 knots
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: /
Wind Direction: 160°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: /
Altimeter Setting: 30.03 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 30°C / 24°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Houston, TX (IAH)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: Unknown
Destination: AUSTIN, TX (AUS)
Type of Clearance: VFR Flight Following
Departure Time:  CDT
Type of Airspace: Unknown

Airport Information

Airport: GEORGE BUSH INTERCONTINENTAL/H (IAH)
Runway Surface Type: Concrete
Airport Elevation: 96 ft
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 15L
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 12001 ft / 150 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: Forced Landing 

Wreckage and Impact Information


Crew Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 1 Minor
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Minor
Latitude, Longitude:  29.972500, -95.451111 (est)

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