ATL85MA275

Factual narrative

DRG AN IFR ARRIVAL/DSCNT, THE PLT STATED HE 'HAD TO FEATHER 1 ENG, I HAVE AN OIL LEAK & I'M JUST TRYING TO DSCND . . .' HE THEN SAID HE WAS DSCNDG THRU 5300'. AS HE CONTD THE APCH, HE INFORMED THE CONTROLLER HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO GO AROUND SINCE THE HYDR SYS WAS POWERED BY THE AFFECTED (R) ENG. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT SAID HE WAS AT 1500' & WAS HAVING A HARD TIME HOLDING ALT. A WITNESS HEARD & SAW THE ACFT IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AT LOW ALT, THEN SAW THE ACFT DIVE TOWARD THE GROUND. IT IMPACTED IN A STEEP DSCNT JUST SHORT OF A LONG FIELD & BURNED. THE R PROP WAS FEATHERED, BUT THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION IN EITHER ENG. THE PLT'S NEIGHBOR SAID HE (THE PLT) WAS AWARE OF A HYDR LEAK, BUT HE WAS AWAITING THE ANNUAL INSPN (DUE IN SEP) TO REPAIR IT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE PARTIALLY EXTENDED, THE LNDG GEAR CONTROL WAS IN THE 'UP' PSN, & THE GEAR WAS DOWN. THE FLT MANUAL STATED THAT WITH A HYDR FAILURE DOWNSTREAM OF THE ACCUMULATOR, THE FLAP HANDLE SHOULD BE IN 'NEUTRAL' TO PREVENT GEAR & FLAP EXTN. THE FLAP CONTROL COULD NOT BE FND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12