Beechcraft D18S N4193

Summary

On 10 November 1991 at about 18:50 local time, a Beechcraft D18S registered N4193, operated by Tomy International, was involved in an accident near Hilo, Hawaii, United States. 11 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 November 1991 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Hilo, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Hilo International (ITO)

Coordinates

19.6898, -155.0791

Aircraft

Beechcraft D18S

Registration

N4193

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Tomy International

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Hilo

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA042

Nobody was injured.

THE AIRCRAFT'S LACK OF SINGLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AFTER THE ENGINE LOST POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DISPLACEMENT/MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE WITHIN THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR SYSTEM OF THE LEFT ENGINE, FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR SHAFT, AND THE FAA'S INADEQUATE CERTIFICATION/APPROVAL OF THE OPERATOR, IN ORDER TO ASSURE COMPLIANCE WITH 14 CFR 135 CONCERNING THE ENGINE-OUT CAPABILITY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

ABT 45 MI FM LNDG, THE L ENG RPM BGN TO FLUCTUATE, THEN AT ABT 15 MI FM LNDO, IT LOST POWER ALTOGETHER. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT WOULD NOT MAINT ALTITUDE. UNABLE TO RCH THE RWY, HE DITCHED THE ACFT IN HILO BAY ABT 1/4 MI FM SHORE & 1.5 MI FM THE ARPT. AFTER RETRIEVAL, THE ACFT & L ENG WERE EXAMINED. THE ACCESSORY GEAR DRIVE SHAFT WAS FND TO HAVE FAILED IN TORSIONAL OVERLOAD. ON THE INSIDE OF THE CASE, AN AREA OF GOUGING & ABRASION WAS FND DRCTLY IN FNT OF THE STARTER GEAR. (THE LEFT MAG, FUEL PUMP & PROP GOVERNOR WERE DRIVEN BY THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR.) DEEP IMPRESSIONS WERE NOTED ON ABT 70% OF THE GEAR TEETH, WITH MTRL DISPLACEMENT & GOUGING EVIDENT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE COLLECTOR DRIVE FLOATING GEAR MAY HAVE MOVED FORWARD & HAD CONTACTED THE ENG CASE. ALSO, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL INTERFERENCE WITHIN THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR SYS. THE ACFT GROSS WT AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT WAS ABOUT 9108 LBS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.