Grumman G-159 N80RD

Summary

On 23 August 1990 at about 22:20 local time, a Grumman G-159 registered N80RD, operated by Rowan Companies, was involved in an accident near Houston, Texas, United States. 15 people were on board and 3 died, 4 were seriously injured, 8 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 August 1990 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Houston, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Houston Intl (IAH)

Coordinates

29.9897, -95.3495

Aircraft

Grumman G-159

Registration

N80RD

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Rowan Companies

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → New Orleans

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90MA161

3 people died.

PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE FUEL PUMP, WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE, BUT NOT ENOUGH OF A POWER LOSS TO TRIGGER AND/OR COMPLETE THE AUTOFEATHERING OPERATION OF THE LEFT PROPELLER, THUS ALLOWING INSUFFICIENT TIME FOR THE CREW TO MANUALLY FEATHER THE PROPELLER OR ATTAIN VMC (FOR THE AIRCRAFT CONFIGURED WITH AN UNFEATHERED PROPELLER).

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PASSENGERS & WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT YAWED BOTH LEFT & RIGHT AFTER LIFT-OFF. IT THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT & CONTACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE BETWEEN THE RUNWAY & A PARALLEL TAXIWAY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE LEFT ENGINE HAD SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING FUEL PUMP. THERE WERE INDICATIONS THE POWER LOSS WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO TRIGGER OR ALLOW COMPLETION OF THE AUTOFEATHERING OPERATION OF THE LEFT PROPELLER. FEATHERING OF THE LEFT PROPELLER HAD BEEN MANUALLY INITIATED, BUT THE PROPELLER HAD NOT REACHED THE FEATHER POSITION BEFORE IMPACT. MANUAL FEATHERING OPERATION REQUIRED THE FEATHERING PUMP BUTTON BE HELD ABOUT 5 SEC. 'V' SPEEDS (KIAS) FOR THIS FLT WERE: V1 92, VR 99, V2 110, NORMAL VMCA (DEAD ENGINE PROPELLER FEATHERED, FLAPS SET FOR TAKEOFF & AIRCRAFT OUT OF GROUND EFFECT) 101, VMCA (DEAD ENGINE PROPELLER UNFEATHERED/WINDMILLING & FLAPS SET FOR TAKEOFF) 127 KTS. EXAM OF THE ACTUATORS REVEALED THE GEAR WAS RETRACTED & THE FLAPS WERE SET FOR TAKEOFF.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.