Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Williamsburg, Virginia 23081
Sunday, January 2, 1994 22:23 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING PREFLIGHT THE PILOT CONFIRMED 11 QUARTS OF OIL IN THE ENGINE. THE PILOT DEPARTED ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AND CLIMBED TO A CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 4500 FEET. FIFTEEN MINUTES AFTER TAKE OFF THE ENGINE LOST POWER. AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AFTER THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS APPROACHING WATER AND ELECTED NOT TO SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN. A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURRED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE. AFTER A THIRD EXPLOSION FOLLOWED BY FIRE ERUPTING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE AND SHUT THE FUEL OFF. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE LEFT WING OF THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT AN EXHAUST VALVE HAD BROKEN FREE AND CREATED A HOLE IN THE PISTON. THE ENGINE WAS FOUND ABSENT OF OIL. TWO CONNECTING RODS FAILED AT THE CRANKSHAFT JOURNALS FROM A LACK OF LUBRICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an exhaust valve failure that created a hole in the piston, which allowed the complete loss of engine oil, resulting in the subsequent forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/2/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2223
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WILLIAMSBURG
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23081
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WILLIAMSBURG-JAMESTOWN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID JGG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation 49
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2151 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID RIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 168
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 374
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 5
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:26AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N776P
NTSB Number NYC94LA045
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 206A
Aircraft Series Identifier 206A
Aircraft Serial Number U206-0568
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 Aug 21 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 51
Airframe Hours 6766
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARY C. BURCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3312 TIMBER RIDGE
Aircraft Owner City WILLIAMSBURG
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23185
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2145
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code END
Destination City ENTERPRISE
Destination State AL
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 --