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December 19, 1984 · De Havilland DHC-3 Turbo DHC-3 TURB · N4247A

West Seattle, WA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
December 19, 1984
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (1 serious injury, 2 minor injuries)
Location
West Seattle, WA
Aircraft
De Havilland DHC-3 Turbo DHC-3 TURB
Tail Number
N4247A
Injuries
Serious
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
SEA85FA034

ACFT was performing test flight maneuvers when problems with the modified fuel system occurred. Ice blocking a fuel vent line caused a partial collapse of the main (engine feed) fuel cell which produced an erroneous fuel quantity reading. In addition, the main tank overflow shutoff valve was leaking, so tank overflow occurred. The fuel overflow caution light illuminated and auxiliary tank fuel pump feed to main automatically shut down. Due to miscalibration, this system overrode pilot attempts to restart auxiliary fuel pumps. Pilot remained in test area troubleshooting rather than immediate return to base, finally noted main tank gauge continuing to read 'full.' En route to Boeing Field, fuel starvation occurred. Pilot opted to attempt forced landing in small athletic field in residential area rather than ditch in Puget Sound. The aircraft touched down in intended landing area, then bounced across an adjacent street. The arresting action of telephone wires on the vertical fin brought the aircraft to rest in a residential backyard.

Full Narrative

ACFT WAS PERFORMING TEST FLT MANEUVERS WHEN PROBLEMS WITH THE MODIFIED FUEL SYSTEM OCCURRED. ICE BLOCKING A FUEL VENT LINE CAUSED A PARTIAL COLLAPSE OF THE MAIN (ENGINE FEED) FUEL CELL WHICH PRODUCED AN ERROUNEOUS FUEL QUANTITY READING. IN ADDITION, THE MAIN TANK OVERFLOW SHUTOFF VALVE WAS LEAKING, SO TANK OVERFLOW OCCURRED. THE FUEL OVERFLOW CAUTION LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AUXILIARY TANK FUEL PUMP FEED TO MAIN AUTOMATICALLY SHUT DOWN. DUE TO MISCALIBRATION, THIS SYSTEM OVERRODE PLT ATTEMPTS TO RESTART AUX FUEL PUMPS. PLT REMAINED IN TEST AREA TROUBLESHOOTING RATHER THAN IMMEDIATE RETURN TO BASE, FINALLY NOTED MAIN TANK GAGE CONTINUING TO READ 'FULL.' EN ROUTE TO BOEING FIELD, FUEL STARVATION OCCURRED. PLTOPTED TO ATTEMPT FORCED LNDG IN SMALL ATHLETIC FIELD IN RESIDENTIAL AREA RATHER THAN DITCH IN PUGET SOUND. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN IN INTENDED LNDG AREA, THEN BOUNCED ACROSS AN ADJACENT STREET. THE ARRESTING ACTION OF TELEPHONE WIRES ON THE VERTICAL FIN BROUGHT THE ACFT TO REST IN A RESIDENTIAL BACKYARD.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time11:08 PST
Nearest AirportBoeing Field (5nm WNW)
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftDe Havilland DHC-3 Turbo DHC-3 TURB
Tail NumberN4247A
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsP&W · PT-6A-135 · Turboprop · 787
Seats3

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (1 serious injury, 2 minor injuries)
Fatal0
Serious1
Minor2
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 61 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind30° @ 3 kt
Visibility60 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 10000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point25 C / 18 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time18:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data