Slater Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Slater, Missouri 65349
Sunday, August 4, 1996 11:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that the airplane was cruising at 2,500 feet mean sea level (MSL) when 'the engine began to throw oil on the windscreen. There was no suitable terrain for a normal landing within gliding distance, so (I) had to put down in a corn and bean field. The corn stalks were over 10 feet tall and adjacent bean field foliage was 3 feet tall.' The airplane 'clipped' the tops of four rows of corn, hit bushes between the corn and bean fields, then 'made it' to the bean field, where it came to rest. Examination of the airplane revealed a 4-inch diameter hole in the engine casing above the number two cylinder rod assembly. One of the connecting rod bolts was broken. The other connecting rod bolt and connecting rod end cap were missing. The number two cylinder had pushed free of the engine case.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of a #2 connecting rod bolt, which led to a jammed connecting rod and subsequent overload separation of the #2 cylinder. A factor relating to the accident was: lack of suitable terrain for an emergency landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1125
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SLATER
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 65349
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SLATER MEMORIAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 9K5
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 360
Airport Elevation 860
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1054 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID DMO
Elevation of weather observation facility 909
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 900
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 415
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1724
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1033B
NTSB Number CHI96LA270
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 Geide
Aircraft Model SPORT-A
Aircraft Series Identifier SPORT-A
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1130
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Jun 5 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 675
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAWRENCE E. RAHAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 605 JOYE STREET
Aircraft Owner City ANDOVER
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67002
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 IRK
Departure City KIRKSVILLE
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1010
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 9K4
Destination City WARRENSBURG
Destination State MO
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 4
Runway Length 2455
Runway Width 145
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --