Accident Air Tractor AT-602 N604MG,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 279407
 
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Date:Thursday 20 August 2020
Time:08:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic AT6T model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Air Tractor AT-602
Owner/operator:Gary Flying Service
Registration: N604MG
MSN: 602-1306
Year of manufacture:2019
Total airframe hrs:375 hours
Engine model:Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60AG
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Inverness, Mississippi -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Agricultural
Departure airport:Inverness, MS (MS21)
Destination airport:Inverness, MS (MS21)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The turbine-powered agricultural airplane was on short final to land at the private airstrip. In attempt to slow down the airplane, the pilot actuated the power control lever (PCL) into beta, which caused the PCL, cam box, and associated linkage to get stuck in place. The airplane required more engine power to make the runway so he attempted to advance the PCL, but it would not move. The pilot made a forced landing in a field short of the runway, the airplane came to rest upright, and sustained substantial damage to both wings.
The engine data revealed that the PCL was moved to beta while the airplane was on short final. The beta signal was still on after engine shutdown, which indicates that the cam box was likely stuck in beta.
A service letter issued by the airplane manufacturer states that the use of beta mode in flight is not authorized and can result in a dangerous situation, leading to a loss of control.
In this event, when the PCL was actuated into beta in flight and the propeller servo pressure dropped to maintain control of the propeller, the servo pressure went into a negative range, and the propeller blade angle was quickly forced to the max reverse stop, which allowed the beta ring to move to the most forward position. Since the beta valve does not allow this amount of movement, the additional movement of the beta ring was transferred to the cam box and the cam box jammed in place.

Probable Cause: The pilot's decision to move the power control lever into beta during flight, which resulted in the power control lever and associated linkage becoming stuck in the beta position.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN20LA353
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 9 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB CEN20LA353

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
19-Jun-2022 18:54 ASN Update Bot Added

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