Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) SF-34OB N254AE

Summary

On 12 May 1994 at about 22:56 local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) SF-34OB registered N254AE, operated by Wings West Airlines, was involved in an incident near Texarkana, Arkansas, United States. 28 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 May 1994 at 22:56

Classification

Incident

Location

Texarkana, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Texarkana Regional (TXK)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) SF-34OB

Registration

N254AE

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Wings West Airlines

Operating rule

Part 121: Air Carrier

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Dfw Airport

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW94IA154

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO RETARD THE POWER LEVERS DURING A REJECTED TAKEOFF DUE TO HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING MANUAL. A FACTOR WAS THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CONFIGURATION LIGHT AS RESULT OF INSUFFICIENT REBOUND ON THE RIGHT CONDITION LEVER WHILE PLACED IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CONFIGURATION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING TAKEOFF AT APPROXIMATELY 95 KNOTS. THE CAPTAIN INITIATED THE ABORT BY MOVING THE POWER LEVERS TO FLIGHT IDLE AND APPLYING MAXIMUM BRAKING. THE CAPTAIN STATED THAT INITIALLY THE DECELERATION APPEARED NORMAL AND THE BRAKES BECAME INCREASINGLY INEFFECTIVE AND APPEARED TO FADE. SIGNS OF HEAVY BRAKING WERE FOUND ON THE RUNAWAY FOR 3,400 FEET. THE CAPTAIN ALSO STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED SOME DIFFICULTY IN GETTING THE POWER LEVERS BACK BEYOND THE FLIGHT IDLE GATE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED 205 FEET PAST THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD INTO A GRASS OVERRUN. SIMULATOR DEMONSTRATIONS WERE CONDUCTED TO EVALUATE THE REJECTED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE. DEMONSTRATIONS CONCLUDED THAT IF THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY LIFTS UP ON THE BETA RANGE LOCK OUT TRIGGERS WHENEVER THE POWER LEVERS ARE IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION, THE POWER LEVERS WILL JAM INTO TEETH WHICH WILL PREVENT THE PILOT FROM RETARDING THE POWER LEVERS. THIS SCENARIO RESULTED IN AN OVERRUN IN THE SIMULATOR. ILLUMINATION OF THE CONFIGURATION LIGHT WAS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT REBOUND ON THE RIGHT CONDITION LEVER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.