forget
22nd Nov 2003, 00:53
UPDATE ON NTSB INVESTIGATIONS
INTO RECENT BEECH 1900D ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS
************************************************************
The National Transportation Safety Board today released the
following updates on its investigations of the August 26,
2003, accident involving a Colgan Air Beech 1900D in
Yarmouth, Massachusetts, which killed both crewmembers on
board, and an October 16, 2003, no-injury incident involving
a CommutAir Beech 1900D in Albany, New York. Both
investigations revealed evidence of a post-maintenance
flight control anomaly during takeoff.
Colgan Air Beech 1900D Accident Investigation
On August 26, 2003, a Beech 1900D (N240CJ), operated by
Colgan Air Inc., as US Airways Express flight 9446, was
destroyed when it impacted water shortly after takeoff from
Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The National Transportation Safety
Board continues to investigate the crash, which killed both
pilots on board during a repositioning flight conducted
under 14 CFR Part 91. A preliminary factual report is
available on the Safety Board's web site www.ntsb.gov.
The investigation has revealed that the flight crew declared
an emergency shortly after takeoff. The airplane flew in a
left turn and reached an altitude of approximately 1,100
feet. The flight crew subsequently requested, and was
cleared, to land back at the departure airport. Witnesses
observed the airplane in a left turn, with a nose-up
attitude. The airplane then pitched nose-down, and impacted
the water at an approximate 30-degree angle.
The majority of the wreckage was recovered from the water
and examined by the Airworthiness Group. No pre-impact
mechanical malfunctions were found with either engine.
Additionally, no evidence of an in-flight fire or in-flight
structural failure was found. Data from the cockpit voice
recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) are consistent
with a problem with the elevator trim system. The FDR
recorded that the elevator trim position moved to an
airplane-pitch-down position soon after liftoff and remained
there for the remainder of the flight.
The accident flight was the first flight after maintenance
had been performed on the airplane, which included
replacement of both elevator trim actuators and the forward
elevator trim cable. An Aircraft Maintenance Group was
formed to investigate all maintenance aspects of the
accident. The Group, along with the Airworthiness Group,
interviewed Colgan mechanics, conducted two maintenance
demonstrations at Colgan in Manassas, Virginia, and observed
a maintenance demonstration at the aircraft's manufacturer
(Raytheon Aircraft Company) in Wichita, Kansas. Data from
the demonstrations are being compared with FDR data from the
accident flight. The installation of the forward elevator
trim cable continues to be explored. Last month, Raytheon
issued revisions to the Beech 1900 series maintenance
manuals to further clarify the procedures and illustrations
related to the elevator trim system.
An Operations Group was formed, and obtained data from the
CVR Group. The Operations Group is planning to conduct
flight simulation profiles in a high fidelity, level D Beech
1900D simulator in New York. The Operations Group is also
working closely with the Aircraft Maintenance Group, the
Airworthiness Group, and an NTSB Aircraft Performance
Specialist.
CommutAir Beech 1900D Incident Investigation
On October 16, 2003, a Beech 1900D (N850CA), operated by
CommutAir as Continental Connection flight 8718, was not
damaged during an aborted takeoff at Albany International
Airport (ALB), Albany, New York. The National Transportation
Safety Board continues to investigate the incident, which
occurred during a positioning flight conducted under 14 CFR
Part 91. A preliminary factual report is available on the
Safety Board's web site, www.ntsb.gov.
According to the Director of Safety at CommutAir, the
captain initiated a takeoff roll on runway 19 at ALB. As the
airplane accelerated to approximately 115 knots, about V1
(takeoff decision speed), the captain noted that the
elevator control was jammed. He subsequently aborted the
takeoff and taxied back to the ramp uneventfully.
The airplane was examined at CommutAir's maintenance
facility after the incident. The examination revealed that
when the elevator trim wheel in the cockpit was positioned
to neutral, the elevator trim was actually in a nose-down
position.
A maintenance technician had performed maintenance on the
airplane one day prior to the incident, and the incident
flight was the first flight after the maintenance. The
technician stated that part of the maintenance performed on
the airplane included removal and replacement of a throttle
pin. To accomplish that procedure, the technician had
removed the elevator trim wheel. However, he did not index
the elevator trim wheel before removing it, and reinstalled
it incorrectly.
The investigation has revealed that the actual maintenance
performed on the airplanes involved in this incident, the
Colgan accident, and the February 2003 accident of a Beech
1900D in Charlotte, North Carolina, are different from each
other.
INTO RECENT BEECH 1900D ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS
************************************************************
The National Transportation Safety Board today released the
following updates on its investigations of the August 26,
2003, accident involving a Colgan Air Beech 1900D in
Yarmouth, Massachusetts, which killed both crewmembers on
board, and an October 16, 2003, no-injury incident involving
a CommutAir Beech 1900D in Albany, New York. Both
investigations revealed evidence of a post-maintenance
flight control anomaly during takeoff.
Colgan Air Beech 1900D Accident Investigation
On August 26, 2003, a Beech 1900D (N240CJ), operated by
Colgan Air Inc., as US Airways Express flight 9446, was
destroyed when it impacted water shortly after takeoff from
Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The National Transportation Safety
Board continues to investigate the crash, which killed both
pilots on board during a repositioning flight conducted
under 14 CFR Part 91. A preliminary factual report is
available on the Safety Board's web site www.ntsb.gov.
The investigation has revealed that the flight crew declared
an emergency shortly after takeoff. The airplane flew in a
left turn and reached an altitude of approximately 1,100
feet. The flight crew subsequently requested, and was
cleared, to land back at the departure airport. Witnesses
observed the airplane in a left turn, with a nose-up
attitude. The airplane then pitched nose-down, and impacted
the water at an approximate 30-degree angle.
The majority of the wreckage was recovered from the water
and examined by the Airworthiness Group. No pre-impact
mechanical malfunctions were found with either engine.
Additionally, no evidence of an in-flight fire or in-flight
structural failure was found. Data from the cockpit voice
recorder (CVR) and flight data recorder (FDR) are consistent
with a problem with the elevator trim system. The FDR
recorded that the elevator trim position moved to an
airplane-pitch-down position soon after liftoff and remained
there for the remainder of the flight.
The accident flight was the first flight after maintenance
had been performed on the airplane, which included
replacement of both elevator trim actuators and the forward
elevator trim cable. An Aircraft Maintenance Group was
formed to investigate all maintenance aspects of the
accident. The Group, along with the Airworthiness Group,
interviewed Colgan mechanics, conducted two maintenance
demonstrations at Colgan in Manassas, Virginia, and observed
a maintenance demonstration at the aircraft's manufacturer
(Raytheon Aircraft Company) in Wichita, Kansas. Data from
the demonstrations are being compared with FDR data from the
accident flight. The installation of the forward elevator
trim cable continues to be explored. Last month, Raytheon
issued revisions to the Beech 1900 series maintenance
manuals to further clarify the procedures and illustrations
related to the elevator trim system.
An Operations Group was formed, and obtained data from the
CVR Group. The Operations Group is planning to conduct
flight simulation profiles in a high fidelity, level D Beech
1900D simulator in New York. The Operations Group is also
working closely with the Aircraft Maintenance Group, the
Airworthiness Group, and an NTSB Aircraft Performance
Specialist.
CommutAir Beech 1900D Incident Investigation
On October 16, 2003, a Beech 1900D (N850CA), operated by
CommutAir as Continental Connection flight 8718, was not
damaged during an aborted takeoff at Albany International
Airport (ALB), Albany, New York. The National Transportation
Safety Board continues to investigate the incident, which
occurred during a positioning flight conducted under 14 CFR
Part 91. A preliminary factual report is available on the
Safety Board's web site, www.ntsb.gov.
According to the Director of Safety at CommutAir, the
captain initiated a takeoff roll on runway 19 at ALB. As the
airplane accelerated to approximately 115 knots, about V1
(takeoff decision speed), the captain noted that the
elevator control was jammed. He subsequently aborted the
takeoff and taxied back to the ramp uneventfully.
The airplane was examined at CommutAir's maintenance
facility after the incident. The examination revealed that
when the elevator trim wheel in the cockpit was positioned
to neutral, the elevator trim was actually in a nose-down
position.
A maintenance technician had performed maintenance on the
airplane one day prior to the incident, and the incident
flight was the first flight after the maintenance. The
technician stated that part of the maintenance performed on
the airplane included removal and replacement of a throttle
pin. To accomplish that procedure, the technician had
removed the elevator trim wheel. However, he did not index
the elevator trim wheel before removing it, and reinstalled
it incorrectly.
The investigation has revealed that the actual maintenance
performed on the airplanes involved in this incident, the
Colgan accident, and the February 2003 accident of a Beech
1900D in Charlotte, North Carolina, are different from each
other.