Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lopez, Washington 98261
Tuesady, January 18, 1994 12:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER CHANGING THE AIRCRAFT'S OIL AND CHECKING THE OIL SCREEN, THE PILOT REINSTALLED THE OIL SCREEN AND OIL TEMPERATURE SENSING BULB. DUE TO BEING DISTRACTED BY HIS INCORRECT SAFETY WIRING OF THE OIL SCREEN NUT, THE PILOT FAILED TO FULLY TIGHTEN THE OIL TEMPERATURE SENSING BULB NUT. ON THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER THE OIL CHANGE, AN ENGINE FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN THE OIL TEMPERATURE SENSING BULB NUT BACKED OUT OF ITS ATTACH POINT, AND ALL OF THE ENGINE OIL WAS LOST FROM THE ENGINE. AFTER THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS DITCHED IN THE WATERS OFF LOPEZ ISLAND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT/OWNER'S IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE OIL TEMPERATURE SENSING BULB, THE TOTAL LOSS OF ALL ENGINE OIL, AND THE SHEARING OF A CONNECTING ROD CAP.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City LOPEZ
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98261
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
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1255 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID NUW
Elevation of weather observation facility 47
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 414
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 18 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1340
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 N77190
NTSB Number SEA94FA051
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 140
Aircraft Series Identifier 140
Aircraft Serial Number 11652
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 10 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 43
Airframe Hours 6203
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COTE, GILLES B.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4717 CYPRESS DR.
Aircraft Owner City ANACORTES
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98221
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COTE, GILLES B.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4717 CYPRESS DR.
Operator City ANACORTES
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98221
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 2WA1
Departure City SEQUIM
Departure State WA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 74S
Destination City ANACORTES
Destination State WA
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 --