ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 38343
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| Date: | Wednesday 23 December 1987 |
| Time: | 06:11 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain |
| Owner/operator: | South Central Air Inc |
| Registration: | N496SC |
| MSN: | 31-7752077 |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING TIO-540 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 6 / Occupants: 8 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai, Alaska -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Passenger - Scheduled |
| Departure airport: | Kenai Municipal Airport, Kenai, Alaska (ENA/PAEN) |
| Anchorage International Airport, Anchorage, Alaska (ANC/PANC) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED THE RUNWAY AT KENAI ALASKA WHEN HE REPORTED TO THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION THAT HE HAD ENGINE PROBLEMS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED BY WITNESSES TO BE ABOUT 300 FEET ON A DESCENDING DOWNWIND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS CIRCLING FOR RUNWAY ONE. SURVIVING PASSENGERS DESCRIBED THE ENGINES AS RUNNING ROUGH AND UNEVEN.
THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIRCRAFT'S WEIGHT WAS MORE THAN THE PILOT HAD CALCULATED AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS 3.4 INCHES FURTHER AFT THAN WAS CALCULATED. HOWEVER, THE WEIGHT AND CENTER OF GRAVITY WERE WITHIN LIMITS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE HAD AN EXTENSIVE CYLINDER HEAD CRACK, A PARTIALLY DISCONNECTED INTAKE PIPE, AND WAS ONLY CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 55% OF RATED POWER.
THE LEFT ENGINE HAD SEVEN SEVERELY WORN CAM LOBES. THE RUDDER TRIM WAS DEFLECTED FULL LEFT AT IMPACT. THE EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE PILOT HAD RETARDED THE THROTTLE FOR THE LEFT ENGINE AND WAS USING ONLY THE RIGHT ENGINE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT.
EXAMINATION OF COMPANY CHECKLIST USAGE REVEALED SEVERAL DIFFERENT IMPROPER VERSIONS. SIX OF THE EIGHT PERSONS ON BOARD [PILOT AND SEVEN PASSENGERS] WERE KILLED. REGISTRATION N496SC WAS CANCELLED BY THE FAA ON APRIL 1 1991 AS AIRCRAFT "DESTROYED"
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: DCA88MA011 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X32680&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=496SC
3. http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/AAR8903S.pdf
4. http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1987/1987-73.htm
5. [LINK NOT WORKING ANYMORE:http://www.baaa-acro.com/1987/archives/crash-of-a-piper-pa-31-navajo-chieftain-in-kenai-6-killed/]
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 16-Jun-2015 19:55 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Oct-2017 21:20 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Time, Operator, Source] |
| 08-Oct-2017 21:21 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Phase] |
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