Incident Overview

Date: Saturday 12 September 1987
Aircraft Type: Beechcraft 200 Super King Air
Owner/operator: National Airways (UK)
Registration Number: G-WSJE
Location: Rayleigh, Essex – ÿ United Kingdom
Phase of Flight: Initial climb
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Component Affected: Low-pressure compressor bleed valve diaphragmLow-pressure compressor bleed valve diaphragm
Category: Accident
A Cessna 206 aircraft crashed into a garage shortly after takeoff from Bergamo. Examination revealed a significant difference in propeller rotation between the right and left propellers. The right-hand propeller was operating at high RPM and fine pitch, while the left-hand propeller rotated much slower and appeared to be nearing full feathering. The firewall shut-off fuel valve for the left engine was found closed, suggesting a prior shutdown. A strip examination of the left engine revealed no prior damage to the rotating assemblies, except for a ruptured diaphragm in the low-pressure compressor bleed valve. This diaphragm is crucial for maintaining compressor bleed valve closure and smooth operation.A Cessna 206 aircraft crashed into a garage shortly after takeoff from Bergamo. Examination revealed a significant difference in propeller rotation between the right and left propellers. The right-hand propeller was operating at high RPM and fine pitch, while the left-hand propeller rotated much slower and appeared to be nearing full feathering. The firewall shut-off fuel valve for the left engine was found closed, suggesting a prior shutdown. A strip examination of the left engine revealed no prior damage to the rotating assemblies, except for a ruptured diaphragm in the low-pressure compressor bleed valve. This diaphragm is crucial for maintaining compressor bleed valve closure and smooth operation.

Description

Crashed into a garage shortly after take off for Bergamo. Examination of the propeller assemblies indicated that, although the right-hand propeller appeared to have been at fine pitch and rotating at high revolutions at impact, the left-hand propeller had been rotating much more slowly and appeared to have been at, or close to, its fully feathered position. The firewall shut-off fuel valve for the left-hand engine was found in its closed position, consistent with the action of shutting down this engine at some point prior to the impact. A strip examination of the left-hand engine was conducted and showed no evidence of damage to its rotating assemblies prior to the impact with the garage. The only damage identified on this engine as not being consistent with the impact was a ruptured diaphragm within the low-pressure compressor bleed valve. This rolling diaphragm is designed to hold the compressor bleed valve closed a high power settings and to provide smooth opening of the compressor bleed valve with reduction of compressor discharge pressure.

Source of Information

http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Beechcraft%20Super%20King%20Air%20200,%20G-WSJE%20%2009-88.pdfhttp://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Beechcraft%20Super%20King%20Air%20200,%20G-WSJE%20%2009-88.pdf

Primary Cause

Faulty low-pressure compressor bleed valve diaphragm.Faulty low-pressure compressor bleed valve diaphragm.

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