Plattsburgh – Albany

On April 26, 2001 at 07:45 PM, Plattsburgh – Albany experienced a crash involving Cessna 208B Grand Caravan, operated by Federal Express - FedEx, with the event recorded near Plattsburgh New York.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was takeoff (climb) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. The pilot said the preflight, engine start, run-up, taxi and takeoff were "normal". The pilot said that during the climb after takeoff, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 feet above the ground, the airplane's engine "spooled down, slowly and smoothly, like a loss of torque or the propeller going to feather." The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, where the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the engine and propeller revealed that the propeller-reversing lever was installed on the wrong side of the reversing lever guide pin, and that the reversing linkage carbon block was no longer installed, and had departed the airplane. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the carbon block was replaced during a 100-hour maintenance inspection, 5 hours prior to the accident. Installation of the reversing lever on the incorrect side of the guide pin resulted in improper seating and premature wear of the carbon block. According to the engine manufacturer, any disconnection in operation of the propeller control linkage will cause the propeller governor beta control valve to extend, and drive the propeller into feather.

Aircraft reference details include registration N974FE, MSN 208B-0099, year of manufacture 1988.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 44.6961°, -73.4543°.