Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bristol, Connecticut 06010
Sunday, February 21, 1999 11:58 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he heard a loud noise accompanied by a loss of engine power. A forced landing was executed to a field. Inspection of the engine after the accident revealed two holes in the top of the engine crankcase. The number 3 piston, and it's connecting rod and bolts, were removed from the engine and examined. One of the connecting rod bolts contained microfissures typical of fatigue cracking on the head portion of the bolt. The fatigue cracking had initiated from multiple locations on one side of the underhead radius, and had propagated nearly all of the way through the cross section of the bolt before final separation. A review of the Airplane Engine logbooks revealed that the last Major overhaul was conducted on March 3, 1965.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The partial loss of power due to the failure of a fatigued connecting rod bolt.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/21/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1158
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BRISTOL
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06010
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID HFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3800
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 644
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 21 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:24AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6191M
NTSB Number NYC99LA065
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Stinson
Aircraft Model 108-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-3
Aircraft Serial Number 108-4191
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 60
Airframe Hours 2593
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM J. LINN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 731 NORTH RIVER RD.
Aircraft Owner City COVENTRY
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06238
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 7B6
Departure City EAST WINDSOR
Departure State CT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1132
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code DXR
Destination City DANBURY
Destination State CT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --