Cessna 208B N974FE
26 April 2001 · Plattsburgh, New York, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 26 April 2001 at about 23:45 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N974FE, operated by Wiggins Airways, was involved in an accident near Plattsburgh, New York, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 23:45
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Plattsburgh, New York, United States
- Nearest airport
- Plattsburgh (PLB)
- Coordinates
- 44.6508, -73.4681
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B
- Registration
- N974FE
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Wiggins Airways
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Plattsburgh → Albany
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Bright
- NTSB number
- IAD01LA048
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The incorrect installation of the propeller reversing lever and carbon block assembly, which resulted in a loss of propeller thrust.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot said the preflight, engine start, run-up, taxi and takeoff were "normal". The pilot said that during the climb after takeoff, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the ground, the airplane's engine "spooled down, slowly and smoothly, like a loss of torque or the propeller going to feather." The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed that the propeller-reversing lever was installed on the wrong side of the reversing lever guide pin, and that the reversing linkage carbon block was no longer installed, and had departed the airplane. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the carbon block was replaced during a 100-hour maintenance inspection, 5 hours prior to the accident. Installation of the reversing lever on the incorrect side of the guide pin resulted in improper seating and premature wear of the carbon block. According to the engine manufacturer, any disconnection in operation of the propeller control linkage will cause the propeller governor beta control valve to extend, and drive the propeller into feather.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 208 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 May 2001 | Cessna 208B | Steamboat Spngs, Colorado, United States | Corporate Air, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Sep 2001 | Cessna 208 | Aurora, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 1 Dec 2001 | Cessna 208B | Bessemer, Alabama, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 28 Nov 2001 | Cessna 208 | Quepos, Costa Rica | Servicios Aereos Nacionales S.a. | Fatal | 3 |
| 10 Oct 2001 | Cessna 208 | Dillingham, Alaska, United States | Peninsula Airways Inc | Fatal | 10 |
| 31 Jan 2001 | Cessna 208 | Key West, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov 2001 | Cessna 152 | Corning, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 2001 | Boeing 767-200ER | New York City, New York, United States | American Airlines | Fatal | 92 |
| 16 Jun 2001 | Cessna 182P | Oswego, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 Nov 2001 | Piper PA-28R-200 | Cattaraugus, New York, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 12 Nov 2001 | Airbus A300B4-605R | Belle Harbor, New York, United States | - | Fatal | 260 |
| 10 Mar 2001 | Robinson R-22 | Islip, New York, United States | Helicopter Flight Training, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |