Downtown Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73145
Saturday, September 10, 1994 13:26 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB, ENGINE SOUNDS CEASED AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED IN A VERTICAL POSITION. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON A GRASSY AREA BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY; AFTER TRAVERSING ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN, IT ENCOUNTERED A DIRT BANK AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE AIRPLANE THEN DESCENDED INTO A 25' DEEP RAVINE. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THE ENGINE WAS BINDING DURING ROTATION AND THE FRONT REDUCTION GEAR CASE WAS REMOVED. THE PROPELLER SHAFT THRUST BEARINGS FIT LOOSELY ABOUT THE JOURNAL, EXHIBITED SCRATCHES, AND WERE NOT THE CORRECT BEARINGS. BOTH THE PROPELLER DRIVER GEAR FRONT BEARING AND REAR BEARING WERE SOLID BRASS BEARINGS. THE MANUFACTURER PRINT SPECIFICATIONS FOR THESE BEARINGS LISTED A STEEL BACKED SPLIT BEARING. THE FRONT BEARING WAS SEIZED TO THE PROPELLER DRIVE GEAR. THE CRANKCASE AND THE FORWARD GEAR CASE EXHIBITED GALLING AND METAL DEBRIS, WHICH WAS IDENTIFIED AS ALUMINUM FROM THE MAIN GEAR CASE. THE ENGINE MAIN BEARINGS AND ROD BEARINGS EXHIBITED SCRATCHES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE ENGINE BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S), THE INSTALLATION OF UNAPPROVED PARTS, AND SUBSEQUENT BEARING SEIZURE. THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE FORCED LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/10/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1326
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City OKLAHOMA CITY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73145
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DOWNTOWN AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2DT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1180
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1456 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 208
Weather Observation Facility ID OKC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1180
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1529
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 10 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7554M
NTSB Number FTW94FA295
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 175
Aircraft Series Identifier 175
Aircraft Serial Number 55854
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Unknown
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RIGSBY, RUSSELL M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 2, NOX 55
Aircraft Owner City TRYON
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74875
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code 2DT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1324
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2DT
Destination City
Destination State OK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
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 16
Runway Length 3240
Runway Width 85
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --