'99 Westwind crash in aftermath-Flying

[310]

I am interested in comments on the article by Peter Garrison- Aftermath in December 2002 issue of Flying. Improper mx caused a crash of a Westwind jet in PA. Anyone nearly dug a hole with a plane because of improper maintenance?

 

[Gulfstream 200]

did not read the article, but I recall hearing at FSI recurrent(s) about the lack of securing the stop on the elevator trim jackscrew, effectivly making the elevator flap in the wind...
from what I recall the aircraft went out of conrol after the autopilot pitched down during the descent into TEB.
what kind of info you looking for?

 

[310]

just comments on problems like this one

 

[Ty Webb]

This was a specific incident where a particular problem happened because of the improper installation of a part ( a jackscrew arm, from what I have heard). I don't know that you can really draw any particlular parallels to it- it was a one-time (hopefully) incident.

The Westwind, by the way, has a particularly good safety record- the only ones that have been lost were this one, plus one in wake turbulence (causing the B757 to be reclassified as a "heavy") and one in a thunderstorm encounter with the radar inop.

Not a bad record for the last 20-something years for the fleet. It ain't fast, but it's ugly!

 

[Beantown]

"The Westwind, by the way, has a particularly good safety record- the only ones that have been lost were this one, plus one in wake turbulence (causing the B757 to be reclassified as a "heavy") and one in a thunderstorm encounter with the radar inop. "
--------------------------------------------

Unfortunately one crashed on Friday in Taus New Mexico killing both pilots. -Bean

 

[Flywrite]

The biggie that comes to my mind is the COEX Emb120 that acme apart inflight about ten years ago because a row of screws were not replaced on top of the horizomtal stab. due to a maintenance shift change.

One of my former employers had an incident where maintenance neglected to replace the bottom row of fasteners after replacing the inboard leading edge on a Dash 8. It came off at rotation and caused quite a memorable day for the crew. Fortunately a check airman was in the jumpseat and able to assist. The airplane made it around the pattern and landed without injuries (thank God), though the plane wouldnt climb above about 700 AGL if I recall correctly. the crew received an ALPA airmanship award for their actions. this is a great lesson on careful preflight inspection (it was the bottom row of screws missing). It also got me in the habit pf checking the MX log before preflight, so I could pay close attention to anything that had been worked on.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

again, not really sure what info you might want..
the westwind crash in PA was determined to be simply a MX MISTAKE. A terrible one at that...but what can be done? Im sure that mechanic wishes it was him...
All the checks and rechecks in the worls wont prevent the occasional oversight.

A few other Westwinds destroyed were the two that were roasted by Oxygen fed fires that started while taxiing....real scary pictures luckily no deaths..

I have never heard a reasonable explanation for these from anyone. Real nice!

 

[Ty Webb]

A few other Westwinds destroyed were the two that were roasted by Oxygen fed fires that started while taxiing....real scary pictures luckily no deaths..

I have never heard a reasonable explanation for these from anyone. Real nice! [/B]

It has to do with the fact that many WW operators would leave the O2 off until sometime on the before taxi checklist, or before takeoff checklist . . then, they would rotate the knob to "crack the botttle". Somehow, this was causing spontaneous combustion, perhaps due to the grease or oil used, a leak, and perhaps the brass filings that come from frequent opening and closing. . . instant blowtorch.

The scariest part for me is that I used to fly for an operator that had opening/closing the 02 on the climb check and the descent check.

 

[Gulfstream 200]

that is a scary practise your employer had!!!!

funny, I just never bought that "crack the bottle" and create a spark thing that IAI used as the explanation......

Does anyone have any more info on the TAOS crash last week?
NTSB prelim's were of course pretty vague at this point.

 

[flydog]

NTSB Identification: FTW03FA036

Accident occurred Friday, November 08, 2002 at Taos, NM
Aircraft:Israel Aircraft Industries 1124A, registration: N61RS
Injuries: 2 Fatal.

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

On November 8, 2002, approximately 1457 mountain standard time, an Israel Aircraft Industries 1124A (Westwind 24) business jet, N61RS, was destroyed when it impacted terrain after passing the initial approach fix while executing the VOR/DME-B approach to the Taos Municipal Airport (SKX) near Taos, New Mexico. The aircraft was registered to Abrams Aviation LLC of Auburn, Alabama and operated by Richmor Aviation of Hudson, New York. Both airline transport pilots were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed and activated for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight. The flight originated from Las Vegas, Nevada at 1353 and was destined for Taos to pick up a passenger.

Radar data indicates that the airplane passed the TAS VORTAC at 1456:39, at an altitude of 15,000 feet msl. Albuquerque Air Route Control Center (ARTCC) controllers heard a "MAYDAY" radio call (four quick maydays), and radar contact was lost with the airplane at 1457:08, at an altitude of 14,700 feet msl. There was no further communication with the airplane. One witness reported that the airplane flew overhead heading toward the west. As the airplane passed overhead, the witness heard the engines power up and power down. The witness further reported that the airplane made a descending left turn until it impacted the ground. The witness stated that when the airplane impacted the ground a large fire ball erupted.

An examination of the accident site revealed that after the airplane impacted the ground, aircraft wreckage struck power lines, crossed State Highway 64 at mile marker 230, before coming to rest. The wreckage distribution path was oriented on a measured magnetic heading of 050 degrees. The furthest piece of wreckage was the right engine, which was located approximately 1,351 feet from the initial ground impact point.

The airplane was equipped with a cockpit voice recorder (CVR). The CVR was recovered and transported to the National Transportation Safety Board's Vehicle Recorder Division in Washington DC for examination.

 

[enigma]

A miss-wired/cross-wired anti-skid system almost caused me to go off the side of a short mountain runway at 120knots in a Lear 55. The airplane had come out of a 2400 hour check the previous week, and my employer(former) had pressured the m/x facility to hurry the job. Well, because of the rush, one of the techs didn't do the proper antiskid check. He just did a fast taxi back from the runup pad and made a few turns. He incorrectly assumed that the logic in the box would catch a problem since steering authority is based upon speed; and thought that if he could steer in high speed taxi without setting off the antiskid inop lights, it must be OK. Well my landing was the first that needed enough brake to initiate anti-skid operation (pinned TR's) and due to the cross wire the system released pressure on the number three tire when it was actually its partner number four that was sliding. Now, I had no braking on my good right side tire, and in about 1/2 a second I had a popped tire at number four resulting in no brakes at all on the right side of the airplane. This all happened at about 130 knots. Some part of my brain said that full right brake and rudder weren't stopping the leftward divergence and told me to get off the brakes. As soon as I let off the brakes the aircraft lurched hard to the right just in time to prevent leaving the left side of the runway. Looking back at it, I think that a tip-tanked Lear would have caught the left tip when we reversed direction. I did manage to get the airplane stopped and exited at the end. My right leg refused to work during taxi in and I asked the right seater, another fully qualified Lear Captain to taxi in. My leg was shaking so bad I imaging that the aircraft itself was vibrating. We drove the runway the next morning in the FBO car and from the marks left by the skidding number four tire, we were about four feet from having the left mainmount depart the pavement.

God was looking out for me that day.
regards,
8N

 

[avbug]

I was assigned to pick up a light airplane once after some extensive damage repair. During the preflight, I determined that the ailerons had been misrigged; they were backward (reversed). I returned the airplane to the shop. I never flew it, and therefore never had a problem with it. But the potential was there, I guess.

On another occasion I was assigned to maintenance on a C-82. When I arrived at the airplane, I scanned the squawk list, and found a report of a massive fuel leak on the #1 engine. It had been signed off as "could not duplicate." I tracked down the mechanics who had performed the work and signed it off, and they confirmed that had leaked fuel like a proverbial sieve, but when they attempted to find the source, the leak quit completely.

Their statement? "It appears to have fixed itself."

Mechanical issues may hide but they do not repair themselves. Over the course of the next three hours, I was finally able to make it leak, and it really did leak. Something in the order of five gallons a minute when boosted under pressure. I fabricated a new fuel line to correct a bad one, and the leak went away. I have no doubt that sooner or later a serious fire would have been the result, all because some numbskull didn't want to put in the effort to find the problem that he said "fixed itself."

I see a lot of CND's (could not duplicate's) out there. Ever wonder about that on the equipment you're flying??

 

[SkyWestCRJPilot]

Once while I was instructing a student in a C-152 the engine started to sputter. It did this for a few minutes and then stopped. We landed and after getting out saw fuel dumping out of the cowling onto the ramp. The main fuel line from the firewall to the engine was loose. It had only been hand-tightened by a mechanic after some previous maintenance. He was fired and luckily we landed okay.