Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Deatsville, Alabama 36022
Saturday, September 11, 1993 9:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT BETWEEN AERIAL APPLICATION SITES, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BACKFIRED THREE TIMES AND THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE FULL POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING; DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE. DURING THE AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION, AN ENGINE RUN WAS ACCOMPLISHED USING INSTALLED AIRFRAME COMPONENTS AND SYSTEMS, BUT FULL POWER WAS NOT DEVELOPED. THE SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER HEAD BETWEEN THE SPARK PLUGS. ACCORDING TO AN ENGINE OVERHAUL FACILITY, THESE TYPE CRACKS ARE COMMON IN THE OLD RADIAL TYPE ENGINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

WAS A CRACK IN NO.3 CYLINDER HEAD WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/11/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 915
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DEATSVILLE
Event State ALABAMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 36022
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
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 915 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID MGM
Elevation of weather observation facility 221
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 330
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1582
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 11 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:38PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36613
NTSB Number ATL93LA157
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT301
Aircraft Series Identifier AT301
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0344
Certified Max Gross Weight 4500
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 410
Airframe Hours 5100
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERTS, CHARLES
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 1 BOX 191
Aircraft Owner City BROWNS
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36724
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 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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Cruise
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 --