Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longmont, Colorado 80501
Monday, December 12, 1994 13:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENGINE 'SPUTTERED' AND THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY TURNED TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. THE ENGINE THEN SEIZED AND THE PROPELLER STOPPED TURNING. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A DEPRESSION AND THE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THE OIL DRAIN PLUG WAS MISSING AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF OIL IN THE CRANKCASE. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED FIVE HOURS TIME-IN- SERVICE SINCE UNDERGOING A MAJOR OVERHAUL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

OIL EXHAUSTION AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE SEIZURE DUE TO A MISSING OIL DRAIN PLUG. FACTORS WERE THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/12/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City LONGMONT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80501
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 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 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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1269
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 13 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 842
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N93290
NTSB Number FTW95LA065
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 COMMONWEALTH
Aircraft Model REARWIN 185
Aircraft Series Identifier REARWIN 18
Aircraft Serial Number 1854
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450
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 Dec 10 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 1788
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EPP, ROBERT W./SHROYER, JAMI
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 7582
Aircraft Owner City FORT SMITH
Aircraft Owner State MT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 59035
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EPP, ROBERT W.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3028 S. LAKERIDGE DR.
Operator City BOULDER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80302
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 --