Pilot Debrief

RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY G36 near Hawthorne, CA — 2009-07-15

Final reportWPR09FA347
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Date
2009-07-15
Location
Hawthorne, CA, USA
Airport
HHR
Aircraft
RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY G36
Registration
N618MW
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
3
Phase of flight
Go-around

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent activation of the fuel boost pump during the attempted go-around.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent activation of the fuel boost pump during the attempted go-around.

NTSB narrative

While on final approach during the accident landing, the pilot informed air traffic control tower personnel that he was going to perform a go-around but gave no explanation for the maneuver. Witnesses observed the airplane climbing westbound ”belching” black smoke, then the engine stopped. When the airplane was about midfield, they saw it turn left and then back to the right and descend out of sight. The airplane impacted the roof and a vertical wall of a five-story building before coming to rest in an adjacent parking lot. Postaccident examination of the engine’s spark plugs and cylinders indicated that the engine was running with an overly rich fuel/air mixture, which was also evident from the witness statements of the black exhaust emanating from the airplane. The electric fuel boost pump switch is located next to the landing gear selection handle. According to the G36 Pilot Operating Handbook, the engine’s electric boost pump provides pressure for starting and emergency operation only. The handbook cautions that use of the electric boost pump during normal operations can result in an overly rich fuel/air mixture, possibly flooding the engine. If either pilot inadvertently activated the fuel boost pump while attempting to retract the landing gear during the go-around, it could have resulted in a temporarily rich fuel/air mixture, reducing the available engine power and possibly distracting the pilots during the go-around. Although, the examination revealed that the electric fuel boost pump system switch was in the “OFF” position and that the pump was not operating at the time of impact, it is possible that the pilots recognized that the electric fuel boost pump system was on during the go-around and switched it off before the crash. The position of the switch and the reduced engine power likely distracted the pilot, who did not maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, which resulted in a loss of control.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted the go-around after reporting an open door.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 32 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents32

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