Accident Cessna 421 N825DW, Thursday 14 July 1988
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Date:Thursday 14 July 1988
Time:19:29
Type:Silhouette image of generic C421 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 421
Owner/operator:Vadala Management Corporation
Registration: N825DW
MSN: 421-0079
Engine model:Continental GTSIO-520-D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:0
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Taunton, MA -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Beverly, MA (BEV)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
BFR RCHG HIS DESTN, THE PLT ADZD APCH control THAT HIS RGT ENG WAS 'BLOWING SOME SMOKE' & LOSING OIL PRESSURE. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED FOR A VISUAL APCH, BUT THERE WERE LOW CLOUDS IN THE AREA & VIS WAS RESTRICTED DUE TO HAZE. AFTER REACHING THE VCNTY OF THE airport, THE PLT SAID IT WAS IN SIGHT & HE WAS ENTERING A DOWNWIND FOR RWY 30. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT ON A LEFT DOWNWIND, BUT SAID THE ACFT OVERSHOT THE 1ST TURN TO FINAL APCH. SUBSEQUENTLY, WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND, THE ACFT CRASHED APRX 2500' NE OF THE RWY IN A WOODED AREA. WITNESSES AGREED THE ACFT WAS SLOW & IN A STEEP RGT TURN WITH THE GEAR EXTD BFR IT CRASHED IN A STEEP DSCNT & BURNED. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THE STARTER ON THE RGT ENG HAD BACKED OFF; 3 STARTER BOLTS HAD FRACTURED THRU THE THREADED AREA WITH SIGNS OF FATIGUE CRACKING; WEAR MARKS ON THE STARTER GEAR & ENG GEAR RING INDCD THE STARTER MOTOR HAD SHIFTED APRX 3/4' REARWARD. ALSO, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE TORSIONAL DAMPER WAS LOOSE ON ITS SHAFT BFR THE ACDNT & THAT BOTH PROPS WERE OPERG AT LOW PITCH DRG INITIAL IMPACT. CAUSE:

Accident investigation:
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Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: NYC88FA181
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X26355

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]

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