ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 25708
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| Date: | Wednesday 23 January 2002 |
| Time: | 07:35 |
| Type: |  Cessna 402B |
| Owner/operator: | Riley Aviation Inc |
| Registration: | N371JD |
| MSN: | 402B1322 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 7339 hours |
| Engine model: | Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-E |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Bronson, MI -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Sturgis-Kirsch Municipal, MI (IRS/KIRS) |
| Ann Arbor Municipal Airport, MI (ARB/KARB) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On January 23, 2002, about 0735 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N371JD, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Bronson, Michigan. A witness described the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude just prior to impact. The 14 CFR Part 91 positioning flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The business flight originated from the Kirsch Municipal Airport (IRS), Sturgis, Michigan, about 0730 and was bound for the Ann Arbor Municipal Airport (ARB), Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted the ground while maneuvering at a low altitude following a loss of control in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was on a flight in instrument meteorological conditions when radar and voice contact were lost. Prior to the loss of communication, controllers advised the pilot to check altitude. At this point, the radar data shows that the airplane was about 400 feet below the assigned altitude. Subsequently, the pilot said, "roger sir my auto pilot i just cut off uh correcting immediately." This was the last received transmission from the pilot. The radar data shows that the airplane then began a descending right turn at an average rate of descent of 1,276 feet per minute. This descent was followed by a climbing left turn with an average rate of climb of 5,423 feet per minute. The radar data shows that the radius of the left turn continued to decrease until radar contact was lost about 500 feet above the last assigned altitude. A witness who saw the airplane just prior to impact described the airplane maneuvering beneath the clouds prior to pulling up sharply and then pitching down and impacting the ground. There was a utility wire and associated poles running across the airplane's fight path in the field where the wreckage was located. The airplane exploded and burned upon impact. No anomalies were found with the airplane or associated systems. The autopilot section of the Pilot 's Operating Handbook states, "Sustained elevator overpower will result in the autopilot trimming against the overpower force." The result is that if up elevator pressure is applied with the autopilot engaged, the autopilot will trim the airplane nose down.
Probable Cause: The maneuver to avoid the utility wire while maneuvering resulting in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with the ground. Factors were the pilot's inadvertent activation of the elevator trim, resulting in a loss of control during flight in instrument meteorological conditions, as a result of pilot's lack of knowledge concerning the operation of the autopilot system. Another factor was the utility wire.
Accident investigation:
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Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020201X00166&key=1
Location
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Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-Sep-2008 01:00 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Dec-2017 15:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 29-Jul-2023 00:59 | Captain Adam | Updated [[Cn, Operator, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]] |
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