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| Date: | Tuesday 20 April 1993 |
| Time: | 00:20 LT |
| Type: |  British Aerospace 3101 Jetstream 31 |
| Owner/operator: | Westair Commuter Airlines |
| Registration: | N131CA |
| MSN: | 787 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8873 hours |
| Engine model: | ALLIED SIGNAL TPE 331-1-10 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Merced, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | (KMCE) |
| (KMCE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE COMPANY CHIEF PILOT/CHECK PILOT WAS GIVING A CHECK FLIGHT TO A COMPANY FIRST OFFICER (F/O). AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS ABOARD TO OBSERVE THE CHECK PILOT'S ABILITY TO GIVE PROFICIENCY CHECK FLIGHTS. SOON AFTER LIFT-OFF ON THE 2ND TAKEOFF, THE CHECK PILOT SIMULATED AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE F/O, WHO WAS WEARING A VISION LIMITING DEVICE, ALLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT, BUT THE FAA INSPECTOR NOTED THAT THE F/O SUCCESSFULLY REGAINED DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE INSPECTOR THEN LOOKED AWAY FROM THE COCKPIT, & WHEN HE LOOKED BACK, THE AIRPLANE WAS DESCENDING. MOMENTS LATER, IT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE CHECK PILOT WAS LOOKING TO THE LEFT, OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT, & DID NOT HAVE HIS HAND NEAR THE POWER QUADRANT. REVIEW OF THE CVR TAPE REVEALED THAT, FROM THE TIME THE F/O WAS GIVEN THE SIMULATED LEFT ENGINE FAILURE UNTIL IMPACT, THE CHECK PILOT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO THE F/O. NO MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCY OR MATERIAL DEFICIENCY WAS NOTED DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE F/O HAD 3925 HOURS IN THIS MAKE/MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.
Probable Cause: THE FIRST OFFICER'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE RATE OF CLIMB AFTER A SINGLE-ENGINE LOSS OF POWER WAS SIMULATED, AND THE COMPANY CHECK PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION AND FAILURE TO NOTE THE DESCENT. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX93FA177
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 19 April 1993 | N131CA | United Express | 0 | Merced Municipal Airport, CA (MCE) | |
w/o |
| Simulated engine failure | ||||||
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Mar-2024 18:34 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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