Pilatus PC-6/C-H2 N394R

Summary

On 28 August 2003 at about 22:00 local time, a Pilatus PC-6/C-H2 registered N394R was involved in an accident near Vigo Park, Texas, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 August 2003 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Vigo Park, Texas, United States

Coordinates

34.7664, -101.2964

Aircraft

Pilatus PC-6/C-H2

Registration

N394R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Decatur → Dalhart

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA209

Nobody was injured.

The loss of propeller pitch control for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight, the 33,000-hour pilot stated that the airplane encountered "extreme clear air turbulence followed by three jolts in rapid succession." He "heard a loud pop as he jerked the throttle to the flight idle position." As the airspeed was slowing, the pilot attempted to add power. The "throttle would not move from the flight idle position and the propeller went into BETA." The airplane pitched downward as the pilot continued to try and "push the throttle lever forward." The airplane established "a rate of descent in excess of 10,000 feet per minute at a near vertical attitude." The pilot initiated an evacuation of the airplane and deployed his parachute (the pilot was wearing a sport parachute during the flight). Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain. During a post accident examination, no mechanical anomalies were noted on the airframe, propeller, or engine that could have caused the accident. The reason for the loss of propeller pitch control could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.