Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Torreon, New Mexico 87061
Friday, May 9, 1997 15:19 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While in cruise flight at 8,500 feet msl, the pilot reported that he observed his oil pressure gauge 'indicating at or near zero.' He stated that he called ATC and began looking for a place to land. He then noticed that the 'oil temperature had begun to rise and the engine was running slightly rougher.' As he approached a highway on which he planned to land, 'the prop governor ceased to regulate the engine RPM and the engine begain to smell really hot.' On landing roll, the pilot stated that 'a gust of wind caused me to depart the left side of the road and the airplane subsequently impacted several sandy knolls.' Postimpact examination of the engine revealed an aluminum ball in the number four cylinder forward piston pin bore. Investigators stated that 'this was the result of the piston pin plug working in the bore for an extended period of time.' This would account for metal particles throughout the oil system and a rub mark on the interior of the cylinder wall. The oil journal leading to the number two cylinder was found with metal particles emanating from it and the number two and number three connecting rod bearings showed significant damage.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
failure of the forward number four piston pin plug, and the subsequent obstruction of internal oil passages of the lubricating system, which resulted in partial loss of engine power. Factors relating to the accident were: the crosswind condition and lack of suitable terrain for an emergency (precautionary) landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/9/1997 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1519 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | TORREON |
| Event State | NEW MEXICO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 87061 |
| Event Date Year | 1997 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| 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 | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1348 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 310 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FMN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5503 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 100 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| 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) | 30 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 20 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 5 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| 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) | 565 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 9 1997 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1934 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 8 2000 12:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7853V |
| NTSB Number | FTW97LA185 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20C |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | M20C |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2816 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2575 |
| 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 | May 16 1996 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 52 |
| Airframe Hours | 4568 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BRYAN L. BURNS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 634 |
| Aircraft Owner City | TIJERAS |
| Aircraft Owner State | NM |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 87059 |
| 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 | 4AC |
| Departure City | ALBUQUERQUE |
| Departure State | NM |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1448 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 4AC |
| Destination City | FARMINGTION |
| 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 | 0 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |