ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 43020
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| Date: | Monday 22 July 1991 |
| Time: | 17:00 LT |
| Type: |  Beechcraft C55 Baron |
| Owner/operator: | Bargman, Stuart |
| Registration: | N77CQ |
| MSN: | TE-299 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3698 hours |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL IO-520-C |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Granada Hills, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | San Jose, CA (KSJC) |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
DURING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE TOWER CONTROLLER NOTICED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH, AND INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO GO AROUND AND ENTER A RIGHT DOWNWIND. REPEATED INSTRUCTIONS TO TURN TO DOWNWIND BROUGHT NO RESPONSE UNTIL A TURN WAS FINALLY INITIATED. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY, REPORTING THAT HE WAS HOLDING FULL BACK ELEVATOR, TRYING TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE IN THE AIR, AND THAT IT LOOKED LIKE HIS ELEVATORS WERE STUCK. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED AWAY FROM THE AIRPORT AND ENTERED A NEAR VERTICAL HIGH SPEED DESCENT INTO A STORAGE BUILDING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED BOTH ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATORS AT A 4 DEG NOSE DOWN TRIM POSITION, AND EVIDENCE INDICATES A 40 DEG DOWN ELEVATOR POSITION. NO MALFUNCTION OF THE ENGINES OR FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND. THE AUTOPILOT SYSTEM CONTROL MODULE WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 7 HOURS OF TRAINING IN THE AIRPLANE, AND HAD 20 HOURS TOTAL TIME IN THE AIRPLANE.
Probable Cause: A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL FOLLOWING AN UNDETERMINED AUTOPILOT FAILURE, DURING WHICH THE PILOT FAILED TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE TO CORRECT A MIS-TRIM CONDITION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A PERCEIVED ELEVATOR CONTROL PROBLEM; THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO OVERPOWER THE MIS-TRIM CONDITION; AND A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND TRAINING IN AUTOPILOT SYSTEMS AND FAILURES.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX91FA324
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 06-Jun-2023 10:57 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]] |
| 11-Apr-2024 13:38 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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