Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tullahoma, Tennessee 37388
Monday, February 13, 1995 13:40 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED THAT ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR HIS RESIDENCE, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD, BUT THE AIRPLANE HIT A FENCE AND ENCOUNTERED UNEVEN TERRAIN DURING THE LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE STARTER ROLLER CLUTCH, WHICH HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE AIRCRAFT IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE FLIGHT, HAD SEIZED. THE ROLLER CLUTCH WAS IN PLACE, BUT THE ROLLERS WERE FOUND TO HAVE MELTED AND HAD WELDED TO THE SHAFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, ALL FOUR OF THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR CAPSCREWS HAD FAILED, RESULTING IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR AND SUBSEQUENT POWER LOSS. A SERVICE BULLETIN (TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL M79-10) HAD BEEN ISSUED BY THE MANUFACTURER IN JUNE OF 1979 TO PROVIDE PRESSURIZED LUBRICATION OF THE ROLLER CLUTCH STARTERS, BUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN SHIPPED FROM THE FACTORY ON 5/26/78 (BEFORE THE SERVICE BULLETIN WAS ISSUED). THE STARTER INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS DID NOT REQUIRE THAT THE SERVICE BULLETIN BE COMPLIED WITH BEFORE INSTALLATION OF THE STARTER. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE STARTER ROLLER CLUTCH LACKED ADEQUATE LUBRICATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LACK OF LUBRICANT TO THE STARTER/ROLLER CLUTCH, SEIZURE OF THE STARTER, AND FAILURE OF THE FOUR CRANKSHAFT GEAR CAPSCREWS (BOLTS), WHICH RESULTED IN DISENGAGEMENT OF THE CRANKSHAFT (ACCESSORY) GEAR AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/13/1995
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City TULLAHOMA
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37388
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
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 1320 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID THA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1067
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 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) 146
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 13 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N20001
NTSB Number ATL95LA051
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model F19
Aircraft Series Identifier F19
Aircraft Serial Number 126
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Jan 3 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 806
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREEMAN, WILLIAM J.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1918 NORTH JACKSON ST.
Aircraft Owner City TULLAHOMA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37388
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 No
Departure Airport Code THA
Departure City TULLAMOMA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1320
Departure Time Zone CST
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 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 --