Lubbock International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lubbock, Texas 79400
Sunday, August 25, 1996 17:09 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a climb to cruise, between 5,000 and 6,000 feet msl, on an IFR flight in VMC, the pilot 'declared an emergency due to his engine cutting out and he had a little manifold pressure/RPM.' The pilot tried to reach Reese AFB about 3 to 4 miles away; however, the airplane landed short of the airport in a cotton field. During the landing roll, the right main gear collapsed, and the right wing separated from the airframe at the forward attachment point. During a postaccident examination, an FAA inspector found that both of the magneto retention nuts that held the single drive magneto to the engine had loosened, and the magneto became disengaged from its drive gear. Maintenance records revealed that the magneto was overhauled and reinstalled during an engine overhaul on April 12, 1996. The airplane had flown 120 hours since the installation. According to the FAA inspector, the 'magneto was installed with the correct hardware.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

inadequate maintenance by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a total loss of engine power when the magneto disengaged from the engine. A related factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1709
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LUBBOCK
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79400
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 LUBBOCK INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LBB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 10
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 3281
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID LBB
Elevation of weather observation facility 3281
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1189
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1952
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4538H
NTSB Number FTW96LA357
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-0795
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Apr 12 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 120
Airframe Hours 2597
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELLIOTT R. WORTHINGTON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1840 LAS TUNAS DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City LOS CRUCES
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 88011
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code LBB
Departure City
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1657
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LRU
Destination City LAS CRUCES
Destination State NM
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 17R
Runway Length 11500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --