Socata TBM N750AB

Summary

On 23 May 2010 at about 23:00 local time, a Socata TBM registered N750AB was involved in an accident near Lost Hills, California, United States. 5 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

23 May 2010 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lost Hills, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lost Hills-Kern Co Airport (L84)

Coordinates

37.6247, -119.6861

Aircraft

Socata TBM

Registration

N750AB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Luis Obispo → Fresno

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10LA260

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to obtain the proper touchdown point on the runway, which led to the runway overrun.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the takeoff initial climb, the pilot reported that the rudder trim became deflected to the left and remained stuck in that position. He stopped the climb, cycled the autopilot, and turned off the yaw damper; however, his efforts did not resolve the rudder trim deflection issue. The pilot input rudder in an attempt to correct the issue, and he thought that the airplane was under control, so he continued the flight to his destination. The avionics failed shortly thereafter, followed by the illumination of the low fuel pressure light. Then the engine lost power. The pilot feathered the propeller and was able to reach an airport for an emergency landing. During the landing, the airplane floated down the runway, touching down about midfield. The pilot was not able to stop the airplane before it exited the runway and collided with terrain. Postaccident, the rudder trim tab was found deflected two inches to the left. However, the rudder trim indicator showed a full deflection to the right. The circuit breaker was found partially open and was recycled, as indicated in the pilot’s operating handbook for rudder trim emergencies, and the anomaly could not be replicated. Postaccident examination also found 90 gallons of fuel in the right tank and no fuel in the left tank. However, this airplane is equipped with a fuel autobalance system, which should have selected fuel to be fed from the right tank with the left tank empty. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined during postaccident testing and examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.