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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

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December 31, 1985 · Douglas DC-3 · N711Y

Dekalb, TX

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 31, 1985
Injury Outcomes
9 injuries (7 fatalities, 2 serious injuries)
Location
Dekalb, TX
Aircraft
Douglas DC-3
Tail Number
N711Y
Operator
Rick Nelson
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
DCA86AA012

At 1708:48, while cruising at 6000', a pilot of N711Y advised ATC, 'I think I'd like to turn around, head for Texarkana here, I've got a little problem.' He was provided a vector & advised of closest airports. Shortly after, he stated he would be unable to reach the airports. At 1711:49, he said there was smoke in the cockpit. While landing in a field at 1714, the aircraft hit wires & a pole then continued into trees where it was extensively damaged by impact & fire. The crew egressed thru the cockpit windows. The passengers did not escape. During flight, the crew was unable to start the cabin heater; despite repeated attempts by the captain. Smoke then entered the cabin. Fresh air vents & cockpit windows were opened, but smoke became dense. The crew had difficulty seeing. The oxygen system & hand held fire extinguishers were not used. Fasteners for the heater door were found unfastened. Examination indicated the fire originated in the aft cabin area, right hand side, at or near the floor line. The ignition and fuel sources were not determined.

Full Narrative

AT 1708:48, WHILE CRUISING AT 6000', A PILOT OF N711Y ADVISED ATC, 'I THINK I'D LIKE TO TURN AROUND, HEAD FOR TEXARKANA HERE, I'VE GOT A LITTLE PROBLEM.' HE WAS PROVIDED A VECTOR & ADVISED OF CLOSEST AIRPORTS. SHORTLY AFTER, HE STATED HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORTS. AT 1711:49, HE SAID THERE WAS SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. WHILE LANDING IN A FIELD AT 1714, THE AIRCRAFT HIT WIRES & A POLE THEN CONTINUED INTO TREES WHERE IT WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY IMPACT & FIRE. THE CREW EGRESSED THRU THE COCKPIT WINDOWS. THE PASSENGERS DID NOT ESCAPE. DURING FLIGHT, THE CREW WAS UNABLE TO START THE CABIN HEATER; DESPITE REPEATED ATTEMPTS BY THE CAPTAIN. SMOKE THEN ENTERED THE CABIN. FRESH AIR VENTS & COCKPIT WINDOWS WERE OPENED, BUT SMOKE BECAME DENSE. THE CREW HAD DIFFICULTY SEEING. THE OXYGEN SYSTEM & HAND HELD FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE NOT USED. FASTENERS FOR THE HEATER DOOR WERE FOUND UNFASTENED. EXAMINATION INDICATED THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE AFTCABIN AREA, RIGHT HAND SIDE, AT OR NEAR THE FLOOR LINE. THE IGNITION AND FUEL SOURCES WERE NOT DETERMINED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time17:14 CST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireBoth
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDouglas DC-3
Tail NumberN711Y
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorRick Nelson
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsP&W · R-1830-75 · Reciprocating · 1100
Seats16

People & Injuries

Injury Summary9 injuries (7 fatalities, 2 serious injuries)
Fatal7
Serious2
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total9
Crew 1Age 33 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility15 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point64 F / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data