Date & Time:
Feb 6, 1992 at 2101 LT
Type of aircraft:
Rockwell Shrike Commander 500
Operator:
Michael Stanton-Hicks
Registration:
N725AC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Richmond Heights - Richmond Heights
MSN:
500-3144
YOM:
1972
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
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:
71
Aircraft flight hours:
3276
Circumstances:
The pilot had the waste gates on the turbocharges adjusted and wanted to test fly the airplane after the work was completed. The airplane departed and had reached an altitude of about 1,000 feet when witnesses heard an engine sputter. The airplane was seen making a left turn and enter a nose low, left spin before impacting the terrain. A tear down of the left engine revealed that the exhaust valves in cylinders #3 and #5 were burnt through at the valve head. The #5 exhaust valve had a deep preexisting deep mark on the valve stem. The failures of both valves were sufficient enough to cause a power failure in the left engine. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
The pilot's improper emergency procedures and failure to maintain control of the airplane, which resulted in an inadvertent spin at too low an altitude to allow recovery. Factors in this accident were; a power loss in the left engine as result of the exhaust valve failures in cylinders #3 and #5.
Final Report:
N725AC.pdf89.59 KB
