Incident Overview

Date: Thursday 21 June 1973
Aircraft Type: Howard 350
Owner/operator: International Fruit & Produce Company
Registration Number: N10TP
Location: 37 km NE of Iloilo – ÿ Philippines
Phase of Flight: En route
Status: Destroyed, written off
Casualties: Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 7
Component Affected: Right engineRight engine
Category: Accident
An aircraft experienced a rapid oil cooler indicator fluctuation, resulting in a significant oil quantity remaining in the engine. The pilot initiated maneuvers to land, but the propeller failed to feather, leading to a gear-up landing in a rice field.An aircraft experienced a rapid oil cooler indicator fluctuation, resulting in a significant oil quantity remaining in the engine. The pilot initiated maneuvers to land, but the propeller failed to feather, leading to a gear-up landing in a rice field.

Description

Whilst the aircraft was cruising at FL125 a rapid fluctuation of the right engine oil cooler indicator occurred. The oil quantity indicator of the engine showed 45 l (12 gal) remaining out of a total of 98 l (26 gal). The pilot-in-command headed toward Iloilo reporting to Iloilo tower his difficulty and intention to land there. At FL 80 inbound to Iloilo, the oil warning light flickered. The pilot-in-command immediately pushed the right propeller feathering button, closed the mixture, brought the propeller control aft, but the propeller would not feather. At an altitude of 1500 m (5000 ft) the right engine stopped and the pilot-in-command, being unable to maintain altitude to reach the airport, made a gear up landing on a rice field.

Primary Cause

Rapid oil cooler indicator fluctuation leading to insufficient oil quantity.Rapid oil cooler indicator fluctuation leading to insufficient oil quantity.

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