Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Skagway, Alaska 99840
Wednesday, June 2, 1993 14:55 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER DEPARTING SKAGWAY, WHILE MANEUVERING OVER A GLACIER, THE PILOT NOTED DECREASING ENGINE OIL PRESSURE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE ENGINE BEGAN TO EMIT METALLIC SOUNDS, AND THEN THE ENGINE QUIT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON THE GLACIER. ON-SCENE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE #2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED. SUBSEQUENT METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION BY THE SAFETY BOARD REVEALED THAT THE FRACTURE OF THE ROD THROUGH THE STRAP AREA ADJACENT TO THE HEAD OF THE ROD BOLT DISPLAYED FEATURES TYPICAL OF A FATIGUE FRACTURE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AS A RESULT OF A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE #2 CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE EMERGENCY LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone --
Event City SKAGWAY
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99840
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1344 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID JNU
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 50
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 3
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 801
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8127K
NTSB Number ANC93LA077
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 7940268
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 41
Airframe Hours 3266
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKAGWAY AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 357
Aircraft Owner City SKAGWAY
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99840
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKAGWAY AIR SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 357
Operator City SKAGWAY
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99840
Operator Code FYOA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --