Running head: LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 1

Lab Activity Evidence Collection

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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 2

Peak Airlines Flight 1680 Crash Investigation

NTSB investigators have started to collect aircraft systems evidence related the Peak

Airlines accident. The investigators will look at some of the primary aircraft systems such as the

propulsion system, electrical system, fuel system, flight control system, hydraulic system, and

emergency evacuation system to determine if any accident related causes or other faults are

discovered. Additionally, this evidence collection report will provide photos of the different

systems that will help provide an accurate accident inventory log to help investigators review

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evidence in the crash lab. The propulsion system will be the first system to be analyzed followed

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by the remaining primary aircraft systems mentioned above.

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1. These photos are of the propulsion systems right and left engines. The right engine

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(1st photo) shows evidence of an engine fan blade failure due to FOD ingestion

possibly as the aircraft traveled down the end of runway. Additionally, a hole on the
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left side of the engine shows that an engine turbine blade or turbine disk could have
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liberated from the rotor assembly. There is a small amount of smoke evidence on the

engine cowling to support this. The left engine (2nd photo) was completely torn off
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the wing from the impact and landed several feet from the left wing as depicted in the
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photo. This engine also sustained FOD damage as it traveled down the end of
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runway until it impacted the light structure.

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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 3

2. These two photos are of the cockpit that highlight the pilot and co-pilot

instrumentation panel and the electrical system circuit breakers. A thorough

inspection of the instruments revealed that the plane was in a landing position with

flaps deployed. Additionally, the electrical system had several tripped circuit

breakers; one was of the fuel system pump. However, all the circuit breakers were

most likely tripped by an overload in the electrical system components after the crash

since a substantial part of the aircraft was damaged from the impact and subsequent

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fire.

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3. These photos show that both the emergency oxygen system and emergency
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evacuation system deployed as designed. The emergency oxygen system seemed to

have functioned as required in the forward part of the plane. The fire damage that
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engulfed the upper part of the fuselage was too extensive and therefore investigators

could not determine if the system activated between seating rows eight and twenty.
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Furthermore, the emergency evacuation system that uses escape airbags for the front
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passenger door and right rear door both activated as designed. The left rear door

could not be opened do to a metal post obstruction that was blocking the access door.
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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 4

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4. The aircrafts flight control system seemed to have functioned as normal. The left and

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right flaps and spoilers were in the extended positions that would indicate they were
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in the landing position. Flaps are used for landing to help increase drag, however, if

they are maintained in the deployed position after touchdown it can reduce the effects
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of the wheel breaks thereby making it longer for the aircraft to stop. Further
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simulator tests will need to be performed to determine if this effected the flight

dynamics as the aircraft traveled past the end of runway.

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5. These two photos are of the left wing that was damaged during the impact against the

end of runway light structure. This area contains part of the fuel system and fuel

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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 5

pumps that are used to supply fuel to the engines. The left wing fuel cell was

compromised after the crash and caused a majority of the fire damage to the fuselage.

It is unknown at this time if the fuel transfer pumps were still operating after the

crash that pumped additional fuel into the fire.

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6. The hydraulic system used to activate the landing gear did not show any evidence of

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failures and seemed to have functioned as intended. The front landing gear assembly
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broke off after hitting the end of runway fence that allowed the aircraft to travel on its
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nose down the embankment. The two rear landing assemblies were dislodged from
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the aircraft after the impact with the light structure. These failures were from the

impact and not from any type of hydraulic system failure.

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In conclusion, this is an ongoing investigation that still needs to be fully investigated,

however some of the primary systems evidence collected will help investigators piece together

the full scope of how the aircraft operated before and after the crash. All of the systems

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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 6

investigated sustained substantial impact damage, but seemed to have been functioning normally

prior to the crash. Furthermore, some of the post crash systems operated as intended such as the

exit evacuation slides that helped with the evacuation process. Also, additional lab testing of

some of the system components along with simulator landing tests will need to be accomplished

to ensure all systems were in fact operating within operating parameters during the decent and

landing process. More information to follow on the next Peak Airlines Flight 1680 Crash

investigation report.

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 LAB ACTIVITY EVIDENCE COLLECTION 7

Reference

Virtual Crash Lab (2019). Retrieved from ERAU course reference material.

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