N8056 Douglas DC-3C accident

NTSB MIA93LA106 · 1993-04-20 · ZEPHYRHILLS, FL

Docket — crew, injuries and powerplant

Factual narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT ON INITIAL CLIMB, AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL, THE CREW SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING, FOLLOWED BY LIGHT SMOKE IN THE CABIN. BOTH ENGINES APPEARED NORMAL VISUALLY. THE ODOR AND SMOKE INCREASED, AND THE LEFT FIRE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS SHUT DOWN & THE PROP FEATHERED. THE PILOT INCREASED POWER ON THE RIGHT ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT CLIMB OR MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A GEAR AND FLAPS UP FORCED LANDING WAS MADE INTO A FIELD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE BELIEVED AN EXHAUST CLAMP BROKE ALLOWING A SEGMENT OF EXHAUST TO SCORCH COWLING AND ACTIVATE THE FIRE WARNING SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE LOWER FIRE DETECTION ELEMENTS WERE FUSED AND BROKEN FREE, AND THAT THE HYDRAULIC LINES WERE BURNED THROUGH.

Probable cause

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN BEST SINGLE-ENGINE RATE-OF-CLIMB SPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A FORCED LANDING. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A POSSIBLE EXHAUST SYSTEM CLAMP FAILURE. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident.

Circumstances

Event type

Accident

Highest injury

None

Weather conditions

Visual Meteorological Cond

Light condition

Day

Sky condition

OVC

Ceiling (ft)

25000

Wind direction

240

Wind speed (kt)

7

Temperature (F)

79

Distance from field

0.0

Airport elevation

0

Aircraft

Sequence of events

Findings