Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenwood, South Carolina 29648
Friday, December 9, 1994 14:46 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE LOST ENGINE POWER 39 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING AT A GOLF COURSE. UPON LANDING, THE AIRPLANE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. A POST-ACCIDENT ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED BOTH MAGNETOS SHAFTS WERE SHEARED BECAUSE OF A FOREIGN OBJECT WHICH HAD BEEN TRAPPED BETWEEN THE RIGHT MAGNETO GEAR AND THE ACCESSORY CASE. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, UNAPPROVED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN DONE ON THE AIRPLANE BY AN UNCERTIFICATED PERSON. DURING THE MAINTENANCE WORK, WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED IT KICKED BACK AND BROKE THE GEAR ON THE STARTER DRIVE. A MAGNET WAS USED TO RETRIEVE THE BROKEN GEAR FROM THE REAR OF THE ENGINE. THE ACCESSORY CASE WAS NOT REMOVED TO RECOVER THE REMAINDER OF THE BROKEN GEAR PARTICLES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

UNAPPROVED MAINTENANCE WORK DONE BY UNCERTIFICATED PERSONS WHICH RESULTED IN A BROKEN STARTER DRIVE WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE. THE PARTICLES SHEARED THE MAGNETO SHAFTS CAUSING THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1446
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GREENWOOD
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29648
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1500 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID AND
Elevation of weather observation facility 782
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1600
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1938
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:43PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6949E
NTSB Number ATL95LA025
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 175A
Aircraft Series Identifier 175A
Aircraft Serial Number 56449
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 30 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1430
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COTHRAN, FREDDIE M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 925 GARDEN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City WILLISTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29853
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COTHRAN, FREDDIE M.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 925 GARDEN DRIVE P.O. BOX 55
Operator City WILLISTON
Operator State SC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29853
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 BNL
Departure City BARNWELL
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1350
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CEU
Destination City CLEMSON
Destination State SC
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --