Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dupont, Louisiana 71329
Tuesady, July 12, 1994 10:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRPLANE IN AN EFFORT TO CLEAR TREES AND WIRE. TWO 1/4 INCH 20 BY 15/16 INCH HEX SCREWS WERE FOUND LOOSE DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION. THESE SCREWS HOLD THE STARTER GEAR PIVOT IN PLACE. ONE OF THE SCREWS WAS OUT 1 INCH AND THE STARTER GEAR WAS FOUND MISALIGNED AND ACCESSORY GEAR TEETH WERE GRINDING. METAL WAS SHAVED FROM THE STARTER GEAR AND METAL WAS FOUND IN THE OIL SCREEN. GEAR TEETH MISSING FROM THE AFT CRANKSHAFT GEAR DISENGAGED THE CRANKSHAFT FROM THE AFT CAMSHAFT GEAR BREAKING ENGINE CONTINUITY. THE ENGINE WAS ASSEMBLED ON JULY 14, 1992. RECORDS DID NOT INDICATE THAT A MANUFACTURER SERVICE LETTER DATED SEPTEMBER 13, 1993, WHICH CONTAINED INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE HEX SCREW TIGHTENING PROCEDURES AND TAB WASHER INSTALLATION HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE ADJUSTMENT OF ACCESSORY DRIVE STARTER GEAR SCREWS WHICH DISENGAGED IN FLIGHT. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING AND NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE APPLICABLE SERVICE LETTER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DUPONT
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71329
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 7
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 958 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID BTR
Elevation of weather observation facility 70
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 26
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1019
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:42AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8648H
NTSB Number FTW94LA230
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 NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model NAVION 4
Aircraft Series Identifier NAVION 4
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-648
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Nov 7 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FORETICH, JOSEPH J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12282 BLACKWATER ROAD
Aircraft Owner City BAKER
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70714
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BTR
Departure City BATON ROUGE
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ESF
Destination City ALEXANDRIA
Destination State LA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --