Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Forks, North Dakota 58201
Saturday, October 22, 1994 13:08 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE EN ROUTE BACK TO THEIR HOME BASE AFTER PRACTICING LANDINGS AT A LOCAL AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MILES FROM THEIR DESTINATION, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PROPELLER BECAME UNATTACHED AND THE ENGINE COMPLETELY STOPPED RUNNING. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A FIELD WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD COMPLETELY FRACTURED. EXAMINATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT REVEALED A FATIGUE FAILURE INITIATING FROM AN OIL TRANSFER TUBE HOLE. THIS ORIGIN HOLE WAS FOUND TO HAVE AN ENLARGED DIAMETER PORTION ABOVE THE SPECIFIED VALUE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S LOGBOOK REVEALED THIS AIRPLANE WAS INVOLVED IN A PROPELLER STRIKE FOUR YEARS AND 1,220 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the fatigue failure of the crankshaft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/22/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1308
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GRAND FORKS
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58201
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 10
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1816
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 22 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1408
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N587PA
NTSB Number CHI95LA024
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 1809033
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Jun 16 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours 1809
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 9007UNIVERSITY STATION
Aircraft Owner City GRAND FORKS
Aircraft Owner State ND
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 58202
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ND24
Departure City INKSTER
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 1255
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GFK
Destination City
Destination State ND
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 --