Accident Overview
On August 19, 2008, at about 10:08 JST, a Cessna TU206F, registered as JA3721 and operated by First Flying Co., Ltd., made a forced landing on a road in Shiki-cho, Yao City, Osaka Prefecture. The aircraft had departed from Yao Airport at 09:05 JST for an aerial photography flight over Osaka and Mie Prefectures. Due to adverse weather in Mie Prefecture, the flight was cut short and the aircraft returned to Yao Airport.
Flight History
According to the captain, after joining the traffic pattern for Runway 27 at about 900 ft, he descended on the base leg, reducing throttle to the lowest point of the green arc, setting propeller and mixture full forward, and extending flaps to 20°. Following advice from his boss, he turned on the auxiliary fuel pump (START switch). During the final turn, he felt the engine produce no power. At about 500 ft, advancing the throttle yielded no response, and he realized the engine had stalled. Unable to reach the airport, he searched for a forced landing site and chose a wide road. He attempted engine restart using the fuel pump switches but without success. The aircraft contacted utility lines and came to rest on the road. The captain reported smelling gasoline, shut off the master switch, and evacuated via the left door. He later set the fuel selector to OFF and notified the company and airport.
Passenger and Witness Accounts
The passenger had moved to the front right seat upon the decision to return. She recalled seeing a brown condominium building ahead and then closing her eyes until the aircraft stopped. She escaped after the captain and noticed blood from her injured right arm.
An eyewitness working near a warehouse reported seeing the aircraft pass slowly and silently just above utility poles. The aircraft then struck its right wing on a utility pole near a car dealer, pivoted, and fell. Sparks flew from broken power lines. Photos taken by a colleague at 10:09 JST show the accident scene.
Aircraft and Injuries
The aircraft was destroyed but did not catch fire. The passenger sustained minor injuries; the captain was uninjured.
Background on Engine Stall
The captain's boss in the Flight Operations Department stated that during a recent flight, the same aircraft experienced an engine stall after landing when power was reduced. The Maintenance Department had raised the idle speed to the upper limit but suggested using the auxiliary fuel pump as a countermeasure. The boss advised the captain to use the pump before landing, a suggestion the captain acknowledged.
The captain had previously experienced engine stalls on similar aircraft while taxiing after landing and associated the in-flight stall with vapor lock, prompting his recovery actions.