Date & Time:
Sep 12, 1987 at 0535 LT
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Operator:
National Airways - UK
Registration:
G-WSJE
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
City
Schedule:
Southend - Bergamo
MSN:
BB-484
YOM:
1979
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
1
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
0
Other fatalities:
0
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total hours on type:
50
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Southend Airport on a cargo flight to Bergamo, carrying newspapers and magazines. Two minutes and 30 seconds after liftoff, while climbing in limited visibility due to the night and low clouds, the airplane entered a dive and crashed on a garage, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Examination of the propeller assemblies indicated that, although the right-hand propeller appeared to have been at fine pitch and rotating at high revolutions at impact, the left-hand propeller had been rotating much more slowly and appeared to have been at, or close to, its fully feathered position. The firewall shut-off fuel valve for the left-hand engine was found in its closed position, consistent with the action of shutting down this engine at some point prior to the impact. A strip examination of the left-hand engine was conducted and showed no evidence of damage to its rotating assemblies prior to the impact with the garage. The only damage identified on this engine as not being consistent with the impact was a ruptured diaphragm within the low-pressure compressor bleed valve. This rolling diaphragm is designed to hold the compressor bleed valve closed a high power settings and to provide smooth opening of the compressor bleed valve with reduction of compressor discharge pressure.
Final Report:
G-WSJE.pdf233.72 KB
