ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 360522
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| Date: | Tuesday 3 May 1994 |
| Time: | 07:03 LT |
| Type: |  Saab 340B |
| Owner/operator: | Wings West Airlines |
| Registration: | N245AE |
| MSN: | 340B-245 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6003 hours |
| Engine model: | GE CT7-9 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 16 |
| Aircraft damage: | None |
| Category: | Serious incident |
| Location: | Nashville, TN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Baton Rouge, LA (BTR |
| (KBNA) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE ACFT WAS PARKED ON THE RAMP OVER NIGHT, UNCOVERED, IN CONTINOUS RAIN. TAKEOFF WAS MADE IN HARD RAIN. AFTER REACHING CRUISE FLIGHT (FL250), ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTIONS OCCURRED IN BOTH ENGINES. FLIGHT CONDITIONS WERE IMC, -20 DEG. OAT, AND LIGHT RIME ICING. ALSO, ALL AIRSPEED INDICATIONS DECREASED TO ZERO. A DESCENT WAS BEGUN, AND THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED SAFELY AT ITS DESTINATION. THE INVESTIGATION DISCOVERED THAT ENGINE POWER INTERRUPTIONS HAVE OCCURRED IN LIGHT ICING CONDITIONS SINCE THE INTRODUCTION INTO REVENUE SERVICE OF THE ACFT. AD'S WERE ISSUED TO PROHIBIT REVENUE FLTS, THEN FLTS IN ICING CONDITIONS WITHOUT AN AUTO IGNITION. THE MANUFACTURER HAD DETERMINED THAT ICE/SLUSH COULD BUILD UP ON THE INLET PARTICLE SEPARATOR, BREAK OFF, AND ENTER THE ENGINE, RESULTING IN FLAMEOUT. THE ICE/SLUSH COULD NOT BE SEEN BY THE PILOTS, AND WAS NOT REDUCED BY ENGINE ANTI-ICE. AN AUTO IGNITION WAS ADDED THAT RESTARTED THE ENGINE WITHIN 2 SECONDS. ACFT CERTIFICATION RULES REQIRE THAT NO ACCUMULATION OF ENGINE INLET ICE OCCUR THAT WILL ADVERSELY AFFECT THE ENGINE OPERATION.
Probable Cause: ENGINE ICE/SLUSH INGESTION THAT RESULTED IN POWER INTERRUPTIONS AND FAILURE OF THE AIR DATA COMPUTER COUPLED WITH MOISTURE INGESTION OF THE STATIC SYSTEM. FACTORS WERE THE FAILURE OF THE MANUFACTURER TO CORRECT A PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED DESIGN DEFICIENCY THAT PERMITTED THE ACCUMULATION OF ENGINE INLET ICE/SLUSH, WHICH COULD NOT BE OBSERVED BY THE FLIGHT CREW, NOR PREVENTED BY ON-BOARD ENGINE ANTI-ICE EQUIPMENT, THE LACK OF A PROACTIVE STANCE BY THE FAA WHEN INVOLVED WITH AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION UNDER BI-LATERAL AGREEMENTS, AND THE INADEQUACY OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS REGARDING ENGINE INLET ICE PROTECTION.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ATL94IA092
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Mar-2024 08:15 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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