ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 209140
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| Date: | Monday 9 October 1995 |
| Time: | 16:08 |
| Type: |  Cessna 340A |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | VH-EOS |
| MSN: | 340A0291 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Mawson Lakes, SA -
 Australia
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | YPPF |
| YPPF | |
| Investigating agency: | BASI |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A short local test flight was planned to verify scientific equipment installed in the aircraft before it embarked on an atmospheric research flight. The take off was normal from runway 03, and after climbing through 500 ft the pilot reduced the manifold pressure and RPM settings of both engines from take-off to climb power. Sometime after this he turned the auxiliary fuel pump switches from low to off. At 1,500 ft a vibration, which appeared to have originated in the left wing, was noticed by both the pilot and the data systems operator, who also held a private pilot licence endorsed on the aircraft type. They said that the left tip tank seemed to move through 10 - 15 mm, and the equipment pod, mounted on the underside of the left wing moved in the same plane and frequency. The right alternator warning light then illuminated. Both pilots decided that it would be more prudent to return than continue the flight. The data systems operator suggested that because of the vibration a slow airspeed should be maintained during the descent. The pilot noticed that the airspeed indication was 115 kts, and believed he carried out the descent without any change to the power settings. He notified the control tower of his intention to return, but without advising the actual reason. Approaching base leg for runway 03 the pilot reported that he selected 10 - 15 degrees of flap, and that the data systems operator extended the landing gear without consulting him. The data systems operator stated that it was after the aircraft had turned onto final approach he noticed the landing gear selector lever was between the retract and extend positions, and moved it to the extend position. He also attracted the pilot's attention to the airspeed, which had dropped to 82 kts, this being only several knots above the stall speed for the aircraft in its present configuration. The pilot advanced both throttles to reduce the high sink rate which had developed due to the slow forward speed, but neither engine appeared to respond. The throttles, pitch levers and mixture controls were then fully advanced, but still without any apparent response from either engines. The pilot then realised it would be impossible to land the aircraft on the aerodrome, and a forced landing was inevitable. He thought he noticed the data systems operator selecting the flaps up at about this time, although the data systems operator could not recall doing this. As the data systems operator had more flying experience on the aircraft, and also being a glider pilot familiar with outlandings, the pilot considered him better qualified to carry out the forced landing, so gave him control. The data systems operator then had just enough time to ensure that the wings were level and initiate a flare, which failed to arrest the high rate of descent. The aircraft impacted the ground heavily on a golf course adjacent to the runway threshold. Both main gear legs failed and separated, the nose gear leg remaining in situ still extended. The aircraft continued along a fairway for 230 m in a direction of 023 degrees, colliding with an automatic sprinkler system control unit, which buried deep into the left wing root area. The aircraft then struck two small trees. This turned the aircraft to the right before it came to a stop on a heading of 090 degrees. The pilot and data systems operator sustained minor injuries. The landing gear was found to be extended, with its selector in the corresponding down position, and the flaps retracted with its selector in the up position.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.atsb.gov.au/publications/investigation_reports/1995/aair/199503340/
https://www.atsb.gov.au/media/4933275/199503340.pdf
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Apr-2018 08:31 | Pineapple | Added |
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