Cessna 501 N7700T

Summary

On 15 March 2012 at about 17:50 local time, a Cessna 501 registered N7700T, operated by Jakubowski Bogdan, was involved in an accident near Franklin, North Carolina, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 March 2012 at 17:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Franklin, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Macon County Airport (1A5)

Coordinates

35.2206, -83.4256

Aircraft

Cessna 501

Registration

N7700T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Jakubowski Bogdan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Venice → Franklin

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12FA225

5 people died.

The pilot's failure to achieve a stabilized approach, resulting in a nose-first, bounced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's activation of only one thrust reverser, resulting in asymmetrical thrust.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was not familiar with the mountain airport. The airplane was high during the first visual approach to the runway. The pilot performed a go-around and the airplane was again high for the second approach. During the second approach, the approach angle steepened, and the airplane pitched nose-down toward the runway. The nosegear touched down about halfway down the runway followed by main gear touchdown. The airplane then bounced and the sound of engine noise increased as the airplane banked right and the right wing contacted the ground. The airplane subsequently flipped over and off the right side of the runway, and a postcrash fire ensued. Examination of the airframe and engines did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The examination also revealed that the right engine thrust reverser was deployed during the impact sequence, and the left engine thrust reverser was stowed. Although manufacturer data revealed single-engine reversing has been demonstrated during normal landings and is easily controllable, the airplane had already porpoised and bounced during the landing. The pilot’s subsequent activation of only the right engine’s thrust reverser would have created an asymmetrical thrust and most likely exacerbated an already uncontrolled touchdown. Had the touchdown been controlled, the airplane could have stopped on the remaining runway or the pilot could have performed a go-around uneventfully.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.