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February 21, 1987 · Cessna 441 · N6858S

Flagstaff, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
February 21, 1987
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
Aircraft
Cessna 441
Tail Number
N6858S
Operator
Samaritan Health Services
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX87FA119

THE ACFT WAS ON AN EMERG MED SVC (EMS/MED-EVAC) FLT WITH A PLT & FLT NURSE ABOARD TO TRANSPORT A MATERNITY PATIENT FM FLAGSTAFF TO PHOENIX. DRG A NGT ARRIVAL, THE PLT BGN A VOR-A APCH IN IMC, THEN HE RPRTD A PROBLEM WITH HIS AVIONICS & ELECTED TO MAKE A MISSED APCH. DRG THE MISSED APCH, HE SAID THAT HE 'LOST' AN INVERTER, THEN RPRTD THE GYROS WERE INOP. RADAR VECTORS WERE BEING PROVIDED WHEN HE STATED 'WE HAVE BIG TROUBLE HERE.' SOON THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CTC WERE LOST & THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 7 MI SE OF THE ARPT. DRG IMPACT, THE ACFT MADE A DEEP CRATER & WAS DEMOLISHED. NO PREIMPACTENG OR AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS FND. AN INV REVEALED THE #2 (COPLT'S) ATTITUDE INDCR WAS INOP ON THE PREV FLT. A DISCREPANCYRPRT WAS TAKEN TO THE AVIONICS DEPT, BUT THE REQD ENTRY WAS NOT MADE IN THE ACFT FORM-4. THE PLT TKOF BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE OPNS MANUAL REQD 1000 HRS MULTI-ENG TIME AS PIC & TRNG BY DESIGNATED CFI'S. THE PLT HAD APRX 837 HRS MULTI-ENG TIME, RECD 9 TRNG FLTS IN N6858S WITH NON-DESIGNATED INSTRUCTORS, COMPLETED A PART 135 FLT CHK ON 2/17/88.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT WAS ON AN EMERG MED SVC (EMS/MED-EVAC) FLT WITH A PLT & FLT NURSE ABOARD TO TRANSPORT A MATERNITY PATIENT FM FLAGSTAFF TO PHOENIX. DRG A NGT ARRIVAL, THE PLT BGN A VOR-A APCH IN IMC, THEN HE RPRTD A PROBLEM WITH HIS AVIONICS & ELECTED TO MAKE A MISSED APCH. DRG THE MISSED APCH, HE SAID THAT HE 'LOST' AN INVERTER, THEN RPRTD THE GYROS WERE INOP. RADAR VECTORS WERE BEING PROVIDED WHEN HE STATED 'WE HAVE BIG TROUBLE HERE.' SOON THEREAFTER, RADAR & RADIO CTC WERE LOST & THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 7 MI SE OF THE ARPT. DRG IMPACT, THE ACFT MADE A DEEP CRATER & WAS DEMOLISHED. NO PREIMPACTENG OR AIRFRAME FAILURE WAS FND. AN INV REVEALED THE #2 (COPLT'S) ATTITUDE INDCR WAS INOP ON THE PREV FLT. A DISCREPANCYRPRT WAS TAKEN TO THE AVIONICS DEPT, BUT THE REQD ENTRY WAS NOT MADE IN THE ACFT FORM-4. THE PLT TKOF BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. THE OPNS MANUAL REQD 1000 HRS MULTI-ENG TIME AS PIC & TRNG BY DESIGNATED CFI'S. THE PLT HAD APRX 837 HRS MULTI-ENG TIME, RECD 9 TRNG FLTS IN N6858S WITH NON-DESIGNATED INSTRUCTORS, COMPLETED A PART 135 FLT CHK ON 2/17/88.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:45 MST
Nearest Airport7nm SE
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 441
Tail NumberN6858S
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSamaritan Health Services
Operating RulePart 135
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsAiresearch · TPE-331 · Turboprop · 635

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 27 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind40° @ 7 kt
Visibility1 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 1200 ft
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 21 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time01:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data