Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Roundup, Montana 59072
Tuesady, August 22, 1995 17:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while cruising 28 miles north of Roundup, Montana, the engine surged momentarily, then returned to normal RPM. He then noted that the oil pressure had dropped to zero, and turned toward the Roundup airport for an emergency landing. He reported that the engine failed 3 minutes later and that he could not make the airport. He then made a forced landing in a field 9 miles north of Roundup. The airplane went through a barbed-wire fence during landing. A postaccident engine examination revealed a metal chip between the oil inlet screen and the oil pump inlet. The inlet screen was split open along the solder seam and the oil pump inlet was gouged. A scanning electron microscope examination of the chip revealed that the chip was copper-plated steel characteristic of material used in the engine gears and camshaft. Teledyne Continental also reported that the oil screen appeared to have been subjected to an axial compressive load at an undetermined time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an engine failure due to foreign object ingestion into the oil pump. A ruptured oil inlet screen contributed to the accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/22/1995
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ROUNDUP
Event State MONTANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 59072
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 8
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 1656 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 163
Weather Observation Facility ID BIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 3649
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 49
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 60
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6421
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) 1430
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 22 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1154L
NTSB Number SEA95LA190
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 MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20K
Aircraft Series Identifier M20K
Aircraft Serial Number 25-0635
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 1348
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRITZ, HARRY M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5725 BLUE BLUFF
Aircraft Owner City CHEYENNE
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82009
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 3S2
Departure City AURORA STATE
Departure State OR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1240
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BIS
Destination City BISMARCK
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 --