Narrative:
Shortly after lift off, a low torque sensing switch failed precipitating an auto feather of an engine. The crew mis-handled the required feathering procedure, allowing the propeller to unfeather and windmill. Subsequently, the crew retracted the flaps. This disabled a spring tab on the rudder which was designed to give additional rudder authority for high power/low airspeed situations. The result of the windmilling propeller and the loss in rudder authority was that V(mca) increased from 101 kts to 138 kts. The airplane rolled inverted and crashed. Witness marks on the operating engine's propeller reportedly indicated that the airplane's speed when it crashed was less than 90 kts.
All on board, four crew men, four students and one instructor, were killed.
Loss of control
» William L. Hall
| Status: | |
| Date: | Wednesday 15 October 1975 |
| Type: |  Grumman TC-4C (G-159 Gulfstream I) |
| Operator: | United States Marine Corps |
| Registration: | 155723 |
| MSN: | 178 |
| First flight: | 1967 |
| Crew: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Passengers: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 0 |
| Total: | Fatalities: 9 / Occupants: 9 |
| Aircraft damage: | Damaged beyond repair |
| Location: | Cherry Point MCAS, NC (NKT) ( United States of America)
|
| Phase: | Initial climb (ICL) |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Cherry Point MCAS, NC (KNKT), United States of America |
| Cherry Point MCAS, NC (KNKT), United States of America |
Shortly after lift off, a low torque sensing switch failed precipitating an auto feather of an engine. The crew mis-handled the required feathering procedure, allowing the propeller to unfeather and windmill. Subsequently, the crew retracted the flaps. This disabled a spring tab on the rudder which was designed to give additional rudder authority for high power/low airspeed situations. The result of the windmilling propeller and the loss in rudder authority was that V(mca) increased from 101 kts to 138 kts. The airplane rolled inverted and crashed. Witness marks on the operating engine's propeller reportedly indicated that the airplane's speed when it crashed was less than 90 kts.
All on board, four crew men, four students and one instructor, were killed.
Classification:
Loss of control
Sources:
» The Times-News - Oct 16, 1975» William L. Hall
Photos
Map
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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