ASN Aircraft accident Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23 C-GJVB Dryden Regional Airport, ON (YHD)
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Status:Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Date:Monday 24 February 2020
Time:16:10
Type:Silhouette image of generic SW4 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different
Fairchild SA227-DC Metro 23
Operated by:Perimeter Aviation
On behalf of:Bearskin Airlines
Registration: C-GJVB
MSN: DC-902B
First flight: 2000
Total airframe hrs:15460
Engines: 2 Garrett TPE331-12UHR-701G
Crew:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Passengers:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6
Total:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 8
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Aircraft fate: Written off (damaged beyond repair)
Location:Dryden Regional Airport, ON (YHD) (   Canada)
Phase: Takeoff (TOF)
Nature:Domestic Scheduled Passenger
Departure airport:Dryden Regional Airport, ON (YHD/CYHD), Canada
Destination airport:Sioux Lookout Airport, ON (YXL/CYXL), Canada
Flightnumber:JV344
Narrative:
A Metro 23 operated by Perimeter Aviation as flight Bearskin Airlines 344, was conducting a VFR flight from Dryden Regional (CYHD), ON to Sioux Lookout (CYXL), ON with 2 crew members and 6 passengers on board. As the aircraft started the takeoff roll on runway 12, the aircraft directional control was lost and the aircraft exited the right side of the runway. The propellers subsequently contacted a snow bank and broke apart. Parts of the broken propellers penetrated the fuselage, injuring 1 passenger. The aircraft was substantially damaged.

A similar accident occurred to a Skylink Charter Metro III on 29 September 2002. The aircraft, N343AE, veered off the runway on takeoff from Hawthorne Airport, California because one of the propellers was not out of the start lock.

Probable Cause:

Findings as to causes and contributing factors
1. While the crew was carrying out the "Before Taxi" checklist, the "Start Locks" task was initiated; however, it was interrupted and not completed.
2. After the captain told the first officer to stand by, the crew’s focus shifted to other tasks. It is likely that this slip of attention resulted in the power levers not being pulled over the flight idle gate to release the start locks.
3. The "Before Taxi" checklist did not contain a task to ensure that the start locks were removed and, as a result, the crew began taxiing unaware that the propellers were still on the locks.
4. After the engine was started or while the occurrence aircraft commenced taxiing for departure, it is likely that slight or rapid transient movements of the engine power levers, which were needed to taxi the aircraft, resulted in the release of the left propeller start locks while the right propeller start locks remained engaged.
5. As the power was advanced through 20%, the "positive torque" call required by standard operating procedures was not made, and the engine torque differential was not noticed by the crew. As a result, power lever advancement continued although the right engine torque/thrust remained near zero.
6. The engaged start locks on the right propeller prevented forward thrust, which resulted in a significant thrust differential. This differential thrust during the take-off roll resulted in a loss of directional control of the aircraft and, ultimately, a lateral runway excursion.
7. Following the runway excursion, the propellers, which were operating at a high rpm, shattered and splintered when they struck a frozen snowbank.
8. High-energy release of the nickel-cobalt erosion strips and splintered wood core debris from the propeller blades penetrated the reinforcement panel, fuselage skin and cabin wall, and resulted in serious injuries to a passenger sitting next to the penetrated cabin wall

Accident investigation:

cover
Investigating agency: TSB Canada
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 2 months
Accident number: A20C0016
Download report: Final report

Classification:
Runway excursion (veer-off)

Sources:
» 29 Sept. 2002 Skylink Charter Metro III accident - same cause
» TSB


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Map
This map shows the airport of departure and the intended destination of the flight. The line between the airports does not display the exact flight path.
Distance from Dryden Regional Airport, ON to Sioux Lookout Airport, ON as the crow flies is 67 km (42 miles).
Accident location: Approximate; accuracy within a few kilometers.

This information is not presented as the Flight Safety Foundation or the Aviation Safety Network’s opinion as to the cause of the accident. It is preliminary and is based on the facts as they are known at this time.
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