Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Belzoni, Mississippi 39038
Saturday, July 13, 1996 6:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that shortly after lift-off on an aerial application flight, a partial power loss occurred. He was about to turn back to the airstrip, when the engine made a 'loud bang' and lost all power. Subsequently, the airplane was damaged during a forced landing in a cotton field. An engine teardown revealed that the #5 cylinder skirt had failed, which resulted in metal pieces spreading throughout the engine crankcase and oil system. Subsequently, the oil scavenger pump failed and the cam drive became galled and seized. There was evidence of fatigue where the #5 cylinder skirt had failed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

fatigue failure of the #5 cylinder skirt, which resulted in debris that caused the oil scavenge pump to fail, oil starvation, cam drive seizure, loss of engine power, and a subsequent forced landing in a field of cotton.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/13/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 615
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BELZONI
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39038
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 7
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 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 180
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 550 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GWO
Elevation of weather observation facility 145
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 398
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 13 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:13AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3695X
NTSB Number MIA96LA183
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Rockwell
Aircraft Model S2R
Aircraft Series Identifier S2R
Aircraft Serial Number 1910R
Certified Max Gross Weight 6000
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 1
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 177
Airframe Hours 3243
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A. FUQUA
Aircraft Owner Street Address POB 331
Aircraft Owner City WINFIELD
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 35594
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GARY FLYING SERVICE INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address POB 329
Operator City BELZONI
Operator State MS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 39038
Operator Code KZWG
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 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 --