Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bloomington, Indiana 47408
Monday, July 27, 1998 10:26 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was approximately 15 miles north of Bloomington, Indiana, cruising at 4,500 feet msl, when it began to vibrate excessively. The pilot looked at his oil pressure gage and found it reading zero. The pilot shut down the engine and began executing a forced landing to a field. The pilot said that when the airplane started to settle, he saw a guard rail by a road in front of him. The pilot pulled back in an attempt to clear the rail, but the airplane did not have enough airspeed. The airplane struck the guard rail and stopped. The pilot and passenger got out of the airplane before is caught fire and burned. Examination of the airplane's engine revealed that the number 5 and 6 cylinder connecting rods were broken. A six-inch by 4-inch hole was found in the top of the engine crankcase just above the number 5 and number 6 cylinders.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to a fractured number 5 and number 6 cylinder connecting rods for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1998
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1026
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BLOOMINGTON
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47408
Event Date Year 1998
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 143
Weather Observation Facility ID BMG
Elevation of weather observation facility 846
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 505
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1105
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N483C
NTSB Number CHI98LA278
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Stinson
Aircraft Model 108-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 108-1
Aircraft Serial Number 108-3483
Certified Max Gross Weight 2225
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 2021
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES NISBET & ALFRED RALL, JR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8950 S VOYLES ROAD
Aircraft Owner City OEKIN
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47165
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 IN43
Departure City PEKIN
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 820
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code OSH
Destination City OSHKOSH
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --