Cessna 208B N738FX

Summary

On 27 April 2004 at about 08:00 local time, a Cessna 208B registered N738FX, operated by Federal Express Corporation, was involved in an incident near Tunica, Mississippi, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 April 2004 at 08:00

Classification

Incident

Location

Tunica, Mississippi, United States

Coordinates

35.0422, -89.9767

Aircraft

Cessna 208B

Registration

N738FX

Category

Airplane

Operator

Federal Express Corporation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Memphis → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

NTSB number

ATL04IA098

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper use of the emergency power lever which resulted in excessive operating temperatures. A factor was the improper adjustment of the emergency power lever dead band.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the check airman, during a demonstration procedure for loss of engine power, the check airman reduced the power lever to idle, turn on the ignition, un-stowed and advanced the emergency power lever (EPL). The check airman felt a vibration and heard a noise. He re-stowed the EPL and advanced the engine power lever. Flames exited the exhaust and the check airman shut down the engine, and made an emergency landing on a nearby road. After landing the airplane the two pilots attempted to remove the airplane from the roadway, and a passing truck struck the left wing of the airplane. Examination of the fuel flow control unit revealed that the EPL lever dead band was 7 degrees below the minimum requirement of 25 to 35 degrees. The fuel flow control unit began fuel flow at 18 degrees of lever travel. The manual override was disassembled and it was found that the plunger, which compresses the bellows, was allowed to contact the bellows prior to the required degrees of travel. Review of the pilot's operating handbook emergency procedures states: When using the emergency power lever, monitor gas generator RPM when reducing power near idle, to keep it from decreasing below 65% in flight. The emergency power lever may have a dead band, such that no engine response is observed during the initial forward travel from idle position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.