Incident Overview
Date: Friday 26 October 1973
Aircraft Type: Curtiss C-46F-1-CU Commando
Owner/operator: Aerocosta Colombia
Registration Number: HK-1383
Location: 34 km off Cartagena, Colombia [Caribbean Sea] –
ÿ Atlantic Ocean
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Component Affected: The prop.The prop.
Category: Accident
A Curtiss airplane crashed during a cruise at FL100 due to a catastrophic engine fire. The pilot initiated a dive to prevent stalling, resulting in the aircraft being ditched and sinking within four minutes. The incident was likely caused by a combination of factors, including excessive weight on the aircraft, which overloaded it, and the pilot’s lack of awareness of the load.A Curtiss airplane crashed during a cruise at FL100 due to a catastrophic engine fire. The pilot initiated a dive to prevent stalling, resulting in the aircraft being ditched and sinking within four minutes. The incident was likely caused by a combination of factors, including excessive weight on the aircraft, which overloaded it, and the pilot’s lack of awareness of the load.
Description
Cruising at FL100, the no. 1 engine caught fire. The fire extinguishing systems was activated and the prop was feathered. Somehow the prop didn’t feather and began overspeeding. To prevent the Curtiss airplane from stalling, the pilot put the aircraft in a dive. After jettisoning some cargo, the plane was ditched and sank within 4 minutes. PROBABLE CAUSE: Power plant fire and failure of the feathering system which led to critical flight conditions when the prop began windmilling. Factors were overloading of the aircraft by 1167kg. and the pilot’s failure not being aware of the load to be carried on the flight.
Primary Cause
Power plant fire and failure of the feathering system, leading to critical flight conditions when the prop began windmilling.Power plant fire and failure of the feathering system, leading to critical flight conditions when the prop began windmilling.Share on:
