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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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August 10, 1990 · Beech E18S · N563W

Greenwood, SC

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 10, 1990
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Greenwood, SC
Aircraft
Beech E18S
Tail Number
N563W
Operator
Royal Air Freight
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL90FA157

THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER LIFT-OFF. A WITNESS HEARD A NOISE & OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING AS THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A TURN AFTER CLIMBING ABOUT 200 FT, DESCENDED THROUGH A SMALL GROVE OF TREES, CRASHED IN A PASTURE, AND BURNED. DURING TAKEOFF, THE PLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 11,050 LBS & THE CG WAS BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT. ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFIED WEIGHT LIMIT WAS 9700 LBS. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF A GROSS WEIGHT PROBLEM BEFORE TAKEOFF. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER WAS IN THE FEATHERED POSITION & THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED AT IMPACT. A CHECK OF THE RIGHT ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURE BY SHUTTING DOWN THE WRONG ENGINE, WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE INTAKE VALVE IN THE RIGHT ENGINE DUE TO FATIGUE, AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Full Narrative

THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER LIFT-OFF. A WITNESS HEARD A NOISE & OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING AS THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A TURN AFTER CLIMBING ABOUT 200 FT, DESCENDED THROUGH A SMALL GROVE OF TREES, CRASHED IN A PASTURE, AND BURNED. DURING TAKEOFF, THE PLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 11,050 LBS & THE CG WAS BEHIND THE AFT LIMIT. ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFIED WEIGHT LIMIT WAS 9700 LBS. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF A GROSS WEIGHT PROBLEM BEFORE TAKEOFF. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER WAS IN THE FEATHERED POSITION & THE RIGHT PROPELLER WAS NOT FEATHERED AT IMPACT. A CHECK OF THE RIGHT ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time23:45 EDT
Nearest AirportGreenwood County (0nm N)
Runway9
Runway Length4993 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionGrd

Aircraft

AircraftBeech E18S
Tail NumberN563W
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRoyal Air Freight
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsP&W · R-985-14B · Reciprocating · 450
Seats2

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 40 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind30° @ 5 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingOvercast 5000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time07:06
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data