Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bluffton, South Carolina 29928
Sunday, June 12, 1994 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT OBSERVED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, ACCOMPANIED BY THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL. THE PROPELLER OVERSPED, AND THE ENGINE SUBSEQUENTLY QUIT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCE LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE, AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING THE LANDING ROLL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE THREADS ON THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER, AND THE MATING THREADS ON THE ENGINE CASE, WERE SEVERELY FRETTED, AND OIL HAD LEAKED OUT OF THE ENGINE, AROUND THE ADAPTER THREADS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION AND THERMAL DISTRESS ON INTERNAL ENGINE PARTS. EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT THE JAM NUT WHICH TIGHTENS THE ADAPTER TO THE ENGINE CASE EITHER LOST ITS PRELOAD TORQUE, OR WAS UNDERTORQUED DURING MAINTENANCE. LOGBOOK ENTRIES INDICATING THE LAST MAINTENANCE ON THE ADAPTER WERE NOT LOCATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO OIL STARVATION. THIS RESULTED FROM AN UNDERTORQUED CONDITION OF THE OIL FILTER ADAPTER, AND THE SUBSEQUENT FRETTING OF THE ADAPTER THREADS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BLUFFTON
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29928
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
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 1151 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID SAV
Elevation of weather observation facility 51
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2600
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 642
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N982Q
NTSB Number ATL94LA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model P35
Aircraft Series Identifier P35
Aircraft Serial Number D-6846
Certified Max Gross Weight 3125
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 231
Airframe Hours 4142
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SRQ FLYERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3037 RINGWOOD MEADOW
Aircraft Owner City SARASOTA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34235
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 SRQ
Departure City SARASOTA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1010
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NC99
Destination City GARNER
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 --