ASN Aircraft accident Saab 340B N349SB New Roads-False River Regional Airport, LA (HZR)

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Accident description

Last updated: 24 May 2013

Status:	Final
Date:	01 FEB 1994
Time:	21:40 CST
Type:	Saab 340B
Operating for:	American Eagle
Leased from:	Simmons Airlines
Registration:	N349SB
C/n / msn:	349
First flight:
Total airframe hrs:	528
Engines:	2 General Electric CT7-9B
Crew:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Passengers:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 23
Total:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 26
Airplane damage:	Substantial
Airplane fate:	Repaired
Location:	New Roads-False River Regional Airport, LA (HZR) (United States of America)
Phase:	En route (ENR)
Nature:	Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:	Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX (DFW/KDFW), United States of America
Destination airport:	Baton Rouge-Ryan Airport, LA (BTR/KBTR), United States of America
Flightnumber:	3641

Narrative:
While descending for landing at Baton Rouge, the captain actively moved the power levers from the flight idle gate into the beta range for undetermined reasons. The propellers and engines experienced extreme overspeed, necessitating a power-off emergency landing at night and the airplane ran off the end of a 5,000-ft runway. Although the design and certification of the power levers met existing requirements, those requirements were inadequate because they permitted a design that did not prevent movement into the beta range in flight.

PROBABLE CAUSE: "The captain’s movement of the power levers below flight idle in flight, the inadequate certification requirements and consequent design of the airplane’s power levers that permitted them to be moved below the flight idle position into the beta range, either intentionaily or inadverteatly, while in flight, and the inadequate action taken to require a positive means to prevent beta operation on airplanes for which such operation is prohibited."

Sources:
» Air Safety Week 03.10.1994 (p. 1-2)
» Aviation Week & Space Technology 7.3.94 (29/30)
» Flight International
» NTSB Safety Recommendations A-94-61 through -63
» NTSB/AAR-94/06
» Scramble 181

Follow-up / safety actions

NTSB issued 3 Safety Recommendations

Show all AD's and Safety Recommendations

Photos

Map

This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, TX to Baton Rouge-Ryan Airport, LA as the crow flies is 612 km (382 miles).

languages:

Issued: 02-MAR-1994	To: FAA	A-94-061
ISSUE AN AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE APPLICABLE TO SAAB 340 AIRPLANES THAT WOULD REQUIRE INSTALLATION OF A SYSTEM THAT PREVENTS THE POWER LEVERS FROM MOVING AFT OF THE FLIGHT IDLE STOPS INTO THE BETA RANGE IN FLIGHT REGARDLESS OF PILOT ACTION. UNTIL THE SYSTEM IS INSTALLED, COCKPIT PLACARDS SHOULD BE INSTALLED IN SAAB 340 AIRPLANES TO WARN PILOTS NOT TO MOVE THE POWER LEVERS INTO THE BETA RANGE WHILE IN FLIGHT. (Closed - Acceptable Action)
Issued: 02-MAR-1994	To: FAA	A-94-062
REVISE TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, PARTS 25.1155 AND 23.1155 TO REQUIRE A POSITIVE MEANS TO PREVENT OPERATION OF THE PROPELLER IN THE BETA MODE WHILE IN FLIGHT, UNLESS THE AIRPLANE IS CERTIFICATED FOR SUCH USE. (Closed - Unacceptable Action)
Issued: 02-MAR-1994	To: FAA	A-94-063
REVIEW ALL OTHER TURBOPROPELLER AIRPLANE DESIGNS TO DETERMINE WHETHER IN-FLIGHT ENGINE OPERATION IN THE BETA RANGE SHOULD BE PROHIBITED. ISSUE APPROPRIATE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES APPLICABLE TO THOSE AIRPLANES TO INSTALL A SYSTEM TO PREVENT MOVEMENT OF POWER LEVERS INTO THE BETA RANGE, AND REQUIRE APPROPRIATE WARNINGS IN AIRPLANE OPERATING MANUALS AND ON COCKPIT PLACARDS TO WARN PILOTS NOT TO MOVE POWER LEVERS INTO THE BETA RANGE IN FLIGHT, UNLESS THE AIRPLANE IS CERTIFICATED FOR SUCH USE. (Closed - Acceptable Action)