Douglas DC-3C N8056

Summary

On 20 April 1993 at about 20:24 local time, a Douglas DC-3C registered N8056, operated by Phoenix Air Inc., was involved in an accident near Zephyrhills, Florida, United States. 42 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 April 1993 at 20:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Zephyrhills, Florida, United States

Coordinates

28.2593, -82.1295

Aircraft

Douglas DC-3C

Registration

N8056

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Phoenix Air Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA93LA106

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN BEST SINGLE-ENGINE RATE-OF-CLIMB SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A POSSIBLE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP FAILURE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT ON INITIAL CLIMB, AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL, THE CREW SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, FOLLOWED BY LIGHT SMOKE IN THE CABIN. BOTH ENGINES APPEARED NORMAL VISUALLY. THE ODOR AND SMOKE INCREASED, AND THE LEFT FIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN & THE PROP FEATHERED. THE PILOT INCREASED POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB OR MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A GEAR AND FLAPS UP FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED AN EXHAUST CLAMP BROKE ALLOWING A SEGMENT OF EXHAUST TO SCORCH COWLING AND ACTIVATE THE FIRE WARNING SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LOWER FIRE DETECTION ELEMENTS WERE FUSED AND BROKEN FREE, AND THAT THE HYDRAULIC LINES WERE BURNED THROUGH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.