Narrative:
A DHC-6 Twin Otter 200, N141PV, crashed during takeoff from Perris Valley Airport, California, following a loss of power in the airplane's right engine. Immediately after the airplane lifted off from runway 17, the right engine lost power, the right wing lowered to about 90º, and the airplane crashed adjacent to the runway.
The ground loader stated that he had fueled the airplane from the airport fuel truck and that the flight crew did not sump the airplane's fuel tanks after the airplane was fueled. Examination of the airplane's forward fuel tank, which provides fuel to the right engine, was found to contain about 8 gallons of a heavily contaminated mixture of water, an emulsifying agent, and bacterial growth. Both the airport's fuel truck, which contained fuel transferred from the airport's underground tank the evening before the accident, and the underground tank contained the same contaminated mixture. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left propeller control was seized in the feather position and that the left propeller blades were in the near-feather position.
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot-in-command's inadvertent feathering of the wrong propeller following an engine power loss, and the failure of the operator to assure that the pilot was provided with adequate training in the airplane. Factors related to the accident were: water contamination of fuel in the airport storage tanks, the operator's lack of fuel quality control procedures, improper fuel servicing, improper pre-flight by the pilot(s), and exceeding the gross weight/forward cg limits of the airplane."
Shutdown of wrong engine
Loss of control
» ICAO Adrep Summary 5/94 (#42)
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-94-16 through -19
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-94-20 through -23
| Status: | Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
| Date: | Wednesday 22 April 1992 |
| Time: | 11:09 |
| Type: |  de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 |
| Operator: | Perris Valley Aviation |
| Registration: | N141PV |
| MSN: | 141 |
| First flight: | 1968 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 29391 |
| Engines: | 2 Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20A |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 14 / Occupants: 20 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 16 / Occupants: 22 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Aircraft fate: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Location: | Perris Valley Airport, CA ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Parachuting |
| Departure airport: | Perris Valley Airport, CA, United States of America |
| Perris Valley Airport, CA, United States of America |
A DHC-6 Twin Otter 200, N141PV, crashed during takeoff from Perris Valley Airport, California, following a loss of power in the airplane's right engine. Immediately after the airplane lifted off from runway 17, the right engine lost power, the right wing lowered to about 90º, and the airplane crashed adjacent to the runway.
The ground loader stated that he had fueled the airplane from the airport fuel truck and that the flight crew did not sump the airplane's fuel tanks after the airplane was fueled. Examination of the airplane's forward fuel tank, which provides fuel to the right engine, was found to contain about 8 gallons of a heavily contaminated mixture of water, an emulsifying agent, and bacterial growth. Both the airport's fuel truck, which contained fuel transferred from the airport's underground tank the evening before the accident, and the underground tank contained the same contaminated mixture. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the left propeller control was seized in the feather position and that the left propeller blades were in the near-feather position.
Probable Cause:
PROBABLE CAUSE: "The pilot-in-command's inadvertent feathering of the wrong propeller following an engine power loss, and the failure of the operator to assure that the pilot was provided with adequate training in the airplane. Factors related to the accident were: water contamination of fuel in the airport storage tanks, the operator's lack of fuel quality control procedures, improper fuel servicing, improper pre-flight by the pilot(s), and exceeding the gross weight/forward cg limits of the airplane."
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Classification:
Fuel contaminationShutdown of wrong engine
Loss of control
Sources:
» Air Safety Week 5 April 1993 (p. 6)» ICAO Adrep Summary 5/94 (#42)
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-94-16 through -19
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-94-20 through -23
Follow-up / safety actions
NTSB issued 8 Safety Recommendations
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This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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DHC-6 Twin Otter
- 930+ built
- 165th loss
- 108th fatal accident
- 17th worst accident (at the time)
- 33rd worst accident (currently)
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