NTSB Reports

yankee_one

New Member
There was a thread today about an accident in Fla over the weekend which prompted me to take a look at the NTSB accident database.After looking for the one accident, I decided to look around a bit and couldn't belive what I saw.
I almost pasted this in the Humor thread, but it's just so #$%! stupid, I posted it here. I guess there might have been no wind that day, so he might not have needed any crosswind correction for taxi or take off, but what about his pre-flight inspection and the pre-takeoff checklist? "Flight controls free and correct." Would the FAA yank his license for something so neglagent? Granted we're all human and prone to make a mistake, but this was just pathetic.

NTSB Identification: MIA04CA005. The docket is stored on NTSB microfiche number DMS.
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Sunday, October 19, 2003 in Everglades City, FL
Probable Cause Approval Date: 12/30/03
Aircraft: Cessna 172N, registration: N933JH
Injuries: 1 Minor.
The pilot stated to the NTSB that he was trying to takeoff and when he was about 1/4 of the distance from the end of the runway he attempted to pull back on the control yoke and lift off, but nothing happened. He said that at the time he noticed that the airspeed was about 60 knots, but yet he could not raise the nose of the airplane, so he applied the brakes in an attempt to stop, and the airplane departed off the end of the runway. He stated, he did not remove the control lock prior to flight, and added that prior to the accident there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane or any of its systems.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation which resulted in the airplane's gust lock being left installed, which resulted in the airplane not being able lift off during the takeoff roll, and damage to the airplane when it overran the runway and crashed into the water at the end of the runway.

MIA04CA005
On October 19, 2003, about 1130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N933JH, registered to, and operated by Executive Aircrafts Inc., as a Title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, ran off the end of the runway during takeoff at Everglades Airport, Everglades City, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot received minor injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.

The pilot stated to the NTSB that he was trying to take off from Everglades City Airport, and when he was about 1/4 of the distance from the end of the runway he attempted to pull back on the control yoke and lift off, but nothing happened. He said that at the time he noticed that the airspeed was about 60 knots, but yet he could not raise the nose of the airplane, so he applied the brakes in an attempt to stop, and the airplane went off the end of the runway. He stated, "to make a long story short, what I did was that I did not remove the control lock from the yoke." According to the pilot, prior to the accident, there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems.



Full narrative available
Index for Oct2003 | Index of months
 
Speaking of retards...

About five years ago, I was getting ready to go out on a solo XC. I was preflighting a Cherokee, and my instructor was headed out in a 152 with another student. I'm standing by the wing of the Cherokee as I see them taxi past toward the runup area- with the wooden gust lock still attached to the rudder/vert. tail!
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At the time I felt kinda dumb as the 16 year old student running into the FBO and getting on the unicom saying, "Uh, 126, your gust lock's still attached." But in reality, I probably saved their ass- they were pulling up to the line when I called. How not one, but TWO people can miss a big yellow plank-looking thing covering the entire BLUE vertical tail, is beyond me. Not to mention 152's have a nice rear window to look out of when CHECKING CONTROLS! Geez...

I found a new instructor after that.
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This is nothing new.

I still remember on 15 May 1979 being at Mesa Falcon-Field and watching a C-54 firebomber on it's takeoff roll from RW 22L. It still had the gust lock installed, and the crew attempted a high-speed RTO. They ended up running off the end of the runway, through the boundary fence, across Greenfield Road, and about 100 yards into an orange grove where it came to rest with the two crew seriously injured.

Regards the "retard" remark: Read during research years later that the capt was an ATP with 12,000+ hours; so it can happen to the best of us. No one is immune to dumb errors, be it acts of ommission or commission......

To this day, when departing 22L or landing on 4R, you can still make out the outline of the C-54 by the still-shortened orange trees in the grove.
 
Some of the more interesting NTSB narratives I've come across in my studies:

NTSB Identification: MKC82IA042
14 CFR Part 121: Air Carrier operation of TRANS WORLD AIRLINES INC
Incident occurred Monday, March 08, 1982 in LAS VEGAS, NV
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/8/83
Aircraft: BOEING 707-131B, registration: N6728
Injuries: 1 Fatal.
THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THERE WAS NO INTENT TO FLY. ON 3-8-82, A BOEING 707-131, OWNED AND OPERATED BY TWA, WAS RECEIVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IN LAS VEGAS, NV. DURING THE CHECK, THE SERVICING VALVE ON THE FORWARD WATER TANK WOULD NOT OPEN. A TWA MECHANIC ENTERED THE FORWARD ELECTRONICS BAY TO CHECK THE VALVE CONTROL MECHANISM WHILE THE LEAD MECHANIC OPERATED THE VALVE FROM OUTSIDE. THE VALVE OPERATED NORMALLY AND THE LEAD MECHANIC YELLED "IT'S OK". A SHORT TIME LATER, ANOTHER MECHANIC LOOKED IN THE COMPARTMENT, DID NOT SEE ANYONE AND SECURED THE HATCH. THE MECHANIC'S ABSENCE WAS NOT NOTED UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. ON 3-9-82, THE AIRPLANE FLEW TO ST. LOUIS, MO WHERE THE MECHANICS BODY WAS DISCOVERED AFTER SEARCH WAS INITIATED BY THE LAS VEGAS STATION MANAGER. AN AUTOPSY REVEALED THAT THE MECHANIC WAS ELECTROCUTED WHEN HE CAME IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL 115 VOLT RELAYS IN THE ELECTRONICS COMPARTMENT. INJURIES FOUND DURING AUTOPSY INDICATE THAT THE MECHANIC SLIPPED AND STRUCK HIS HEAD AND FELL ON THE RELAYS.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this incident as follows:

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ELECTRIC RELAY..IMPROPER
MAINTENANCE,MODIFICATION..IMPROPER..COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL
 
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