ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 253720
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| Date: | Monday 19 April 2021 |
| Time: | 13:46 |
| Type: |  Cessna 340A |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N801EC |
| MSN: | 340A0312 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1977 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6500 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental TSIO-520-N |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Tatum, TX -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Test |
| Departure airport: | Longview-East Texas Regional Airport, TX (GGG/KGGG) |
| Longview-East Texas Regional Airport, TX (GGG/KGGG) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On April 19, 2021, about 1346 central daylight time, a Cessna 340A airplane, N801EC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Tatum, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight.
The pilot was planning to perform a functional test of the airplane’s newly upgraded autopilot system. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data showed that, after takeoff, the airplane turned east and climbed to 2,750 ft. Air traffic control information indicated that the controller cleared the pilot to operate under visual flight rules to the east of the airport. Communications between ground control, tower control, and the pilot were normal during the ground taxi, takeoff, and climb. Radio and radar communications were lost 6 minutes after takeoff, and no radio distress calls were received from the pilot. The airplane impacted wooded terrain about 3/4 mile to the east of the last recorded radar data point. Groundspeeds and headings were consistent throughout the flight with no abrupt deviations.
The airplane impacted the wooded terrain in a nose-down, near-vertical flight attitude. Most of the airplane, including the fuselage, wings, and empennage, were consumed by a postimpact fire. Both engines and propellers separated from the airplane at impact with the ground. Examination of the engines revealed no preaccident failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operations. Both propellers showed signs of normal operation. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The elevator trim cables stop blocks were secured to the cables and undamaged. They were found against the forward stop meaning the trim tab was at full down travel (elevator leading edge full down) which indicated that the airplane was trimmed full nose up at impact.
The airplane’s cabin sustained fragmentation from impact and was consumed by fire; as a result, the autopilot system could not be examined. The investigation was unable to determine why the pilot lost control of the airplane.
Probable Cause: The pilot’s loss of airplane control for undetermined reasons.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
https://www.news-journal.com/news/public_safety/officials-believe-one-person-dead-in-rusk-county-plane-crash/article_9dc149c4-a15e-11eb-a10d-0b7c3ca94de3.html
https://www.kltv.com/2021/04/19/emergency-personnel-responding-plane-crash-between-tatum-easton-rusk-county/
https://www.cbs19.tv/article/news/local/single-engine-plane-crash-in-rusk-county/501-9ef78d31-3f76-4c1c-bf10-3ecca3e63e71?fbclid=IwAR0s3J41VWFa2JcliD4GCpizA8ZuLD53pE7nBwROAk5yUhmKurqTO_uo91M
https://www.ketk.com/news/local-news/first-responders-assisting-after-plane-crashes-in-rusk-county/?fbclid=IwAR23yd3Kj7r_72tBWwRqirX6q9-29dSAKVsivz7GCeInSVfUjxSIn-Et8dY
NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102942
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N801EC
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=aae5fb&lat=32.341&lon=-94.632&zoom=12.1&showTrace=2021-04-19
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N801EC
https://media.sandhills.com/n801ec-1977-cessna-340a/img.axd?id=4052830705&wid=6072144879&rwl=False&p=&ext=&w=614&h=460&t=&lp=&c=True&wt=False&sz=Max&rt=0&checksum=PUM%2bKD3SlZxcMlmB6lv8BPqpc9kxnGGL0nrpBOl0AN4%3d (photo)
Location
Images:
Media:
The NTSB is investigating the crash Monday of a Cessna 340 in Tatum, Texas. An investigator is traveling to the scene.
— NTSB_Newsroom (@NTSB_Newsroom) April 19, 2021
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 19-Apr-2021 22:26 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 19-Apr-2021 22:28 | Captain Adam | Updated [Date] |
| 19-Apr-2021 23:30 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 20-Apr-2021 00:17 | Geno | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 20-Apr-2021 01:05 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 20-Apr-2021 12:06 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Location, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 20-Apr-2021 17:12 | Anon. | Updated [Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 21-Apr-2021 06:02 | aaronwk | Updated [Narrative] |
| 30-Apr-2021 11:38 | aaronwk | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative] |
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