Combs Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paintsville, Kentucky 41240
Tuesady, July 20, 1993 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO FAA PROVIDED TRANSCRIPTS OF COMMUNICATIONS THE AIRPLANE WAS AT CRUISE FLIGHT OF 10,000 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL AND 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD LOST ENGINE POWER, AND REQUESTED THE NEAREST AIRPORT. INDIANAPOLIS AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER CONTROLLER GAVE THE PILOT VECTORS TO THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE HAD THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AND THAT HE WOULD ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 31. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE SAW THE AIRPLANE MAKE A STEEP TURN AND THEN IT FELL TO THE GROUND. THE AIRPORT IS SITUATED IN A MOUNTAIN VALLEY WITH 500 FOOT HILLS ON BOTH SIDES. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED ON RUNWAY 13 AND WAS DESTROYED BY POST IMPACT FORCES AND POST IMPACT FIRE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON, DC. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED WHERE A FATIGUE CRACK HAD INITIATED ON THE SURFACE OF THE AFT RADIUS OF THE #2 MAIN JOURNAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

1) FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 2 MAIN JOURNAL DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASON (S) WHICH RESULTED IN THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND 2) THE PILOT NOT MAINTAINING AN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE ALTITUDE FOR THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM THE STALL/SPIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/20/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City PAINTSVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 41240
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COMBS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3I6
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 624
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID JKL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1382
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1114
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 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 1:27PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3722Q
NTSB Number BFO93FA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C33A
Aircraft Series Identifier C33A
Aircraft Serial Number CE129
Certified Max Gross Weight 3300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 18 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C & D ENTERPRISES INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 498 PARAGON MILLS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City NASHVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37211
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name C & D ENTERPRISES INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 498 PARAGON MILLS RD
Operator City NASHVILLE
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37211
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 BAF
Departure City WESTFIELD
Departure State MA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1422
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M88
Destination City NASHVILLE
Destination State TN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight 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 13
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --