Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Kinston Regional Jetport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Kinston, North Carolina 28501
Saturday, May 11, 1996 12:44 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft (acft) was originally certificated for a max gross weight (GW) of 9,260 lbs. On 3/16/96, the operator receive FAA approval to increase the GW to 12,499.9 lbs. The pilot (plt) had only 2.7 hrs of flight (flt) time in the make & model. Before flt, the hopper was loaded with fire retardant, while the engine was running. The loader noted the plt 'did not seem to be himself this day.' The loader said the engine was idling 'a little high' until he reminded the plt to 'cut it back,' & that the pilot failed to advise the loader of the quantity of retardant needed, until the loader got his attention & asked. The acft was loaded to an estimated GW of 13,022 lbs. Shortly after takeoff, witnesses heard the engine running rough & saw what appeared to be white & black smoke trailing the acft. The plt turned back toward the airport & dumped the load. The acft then stalled & impacted the ground. Exam of the flt controls revealed no preimpact failure. Engine exam revealed evidence of cracks in the #5 cylinder, leading to the exhaust port seat; a groove imbeded in the #5 exhaust valve stem; & evidence the exhaust valve seat had become detached & jammed against the exhaust valve stem. Contrary to flt manual procedures, primer was found open & positioned to the 'cylinder' side, & the stall warning system was found in the 'off' position. Toxicology testing of the plt's blood showed 0.026 mcg/ml diphenhydramine (an over-the-counter antihistamine with sedative side effects). An undetermined amount of trimethoprim was also detected in the pilot's blood & urine. Septra DS (an antibiotic containing trimethoprim) had been prescribed for prostatitis.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
a cracked/fractured #5 cylinder and subsequent failure/jamming of the #5 exhaust valve, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power; and failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. Factors related to the accident were: the excessive gross weight of the airplane, the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane, and pilot impairment from use of an over-the-counter medication with sedative side effects.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/11/1996 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1244 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | KINSTON |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28501 |
| Event Date Year | 1996 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | |
| Event Location Longitude | |
| Event Location Airport | KINSTON REGIONAL JETPORT |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ISO |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 171 |
| Airport Elevation | 94 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1246 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 351 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ISO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 94 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| 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) | 12 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 30 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 21 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 1843 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 11 1996 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1339 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 10:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2065K |
| NTSB Number | MIA96GA138 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Wsk Pzl Mielec |
| Aircraft Model | M18A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | M18A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1Z024-17 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 12499 |
| 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 | Feb 16 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 33 |
| Airframe Hours | 181 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | STATE OF N.C. DEPT. OF EHNR |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 27687 |
| Aircraft Owner City | RALEIGH |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27611 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Unknown |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Unknown |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Public Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | ISO |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1241 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | NONE |
| Destination City | JACKSONVILLE |
| Destination State | NC |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 22 2001 3:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 7500 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |