Beechcraft A33 N9367Y

Summary

On 3 April 1992 at about 03:54 local time, a Beechcraft A33 registered N9367Y, operated by Desmet, Jeffrey G., was involved in an accident near Paradise, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 April 1992 at 03:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Paradise, California, United States

Coordinates

39.7403, -121.6095

Aircraft

Beechcraft A33

Registration

N9367Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Desmet, Jeffrey G.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX92FA161

1 person died.

THE STUDENT PILOT'S INADVERTENT USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL INSTEAD OF THE COWL FLAPS AT A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT, HIS MISUSE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE NON STANDARD LOCATION OF THE COWL FLAP PUSH PULL CONTROL, DUE TO AN IMPROPER AIRCRAFT MODIFICATION, THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS WHICH IMPAIRED THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS ABILITY TO MONITOR THE STUDENT COCKPIT CONTROL MANIPULATIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE 60 HOUR STUDENT PILOT HAD A TOTAL OF 25 HOURS IN TYPE, ALL OF WHICH WERE DUAL. WITH HIS CURRENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THE STUDENT RETURNED TO THEIR HOME BASE AIRPORT TO PERFORM A PREARRANGED GO-AROUND TO FINALIZE THEIR DUAL PERIOD FOR THE EVENING. AFTER THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE INSTRUCTOR CALLED FOR THE GO-AROUND. AFTER THE CLIMB WAS ESTABLISHED AT ABOUT 500 FEET AGL HE CALLED FOR THE COWL FLAPS TO BE OPENED, AND MOMENTS LATER THE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING QUIT. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID THAT AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT THE STUDENT PULLED THE CONTROL YOKE ALL THE WAY BACK AND THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A DEEP STALL. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN MODIFIED TO ACCOMMODATE AN ENGINE WITH MORE HORSE POWER WHICH REQUIRED THE INSTALLATION OF COWL FLAPS. THE FAA APPROVED STC MODIFICATION DRAWINGS REQUIRED THE PUSH-PULL CONTROL FOR THE COWL FLAPS TO BE LOCATED TO THE LEFT OF THE THROTTLE CONSOLE ON A SEPARATE SWITCH PANEL. THE ACTUAL LOCATION OF THAT CONTROL IN THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE WAS FOUND TO THE RIGHT OF THE THROTTLE BELOW THE PROPELLER CONTROL AND NEXT TO

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.