Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kirksville, Missouri 63501
Sunday, November 3, 1996 14:30 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane had been flying about 3 minutes when the pilot heard a slapping sound. This sound was followed by a windshield covered with oil, a violent shake from the engine, and smoke in the cockpit. The pilot made a forced landing in field. When the nosewheel touched the field's surface, the airplane nosed over onto its back. An examination of the engine revealed the #2 rod was broken at its crankshaft attachment point. The crankshaft journal was black/blue in color and had multiple grooves around its surface. The bearing was the separated in many pieces of various sizes. These pieces were also black/blue in color. According to the pilot, the engine was overhauled 224 hours before the accident. Paperwork associated with the overhaul showed that the engine was being disassembled due to metal chips in the oil filter and a spun connecting rod bearing on cylinder #3. The engine's overhaul was its first since it was new.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an improper maintenance overhaul by company maintenance personnel which led to a bearing failure. The soft terrain was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/3/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City KIRKSVILLE
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63501
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 11
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 1445 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID IRK
Elevation of weather observation facility 966
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1315
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 3 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1905
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30614
NTSB Number CHI97LA021
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 Unknown
Aircraft Explosion Unknown
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177A
Aircraft Series Identifier 177A
Aircraft Serial Number 17701361
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 10 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 2216
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM WALTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8911 STERLING RIDGE RUN
Aircraft Owner City INDIANAPOLIS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46236
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 IRK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IRK
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
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 --