Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eau Claire, Pennsylvania 16030
Wednesday, September 8, 1993 12:15 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight, the airplane's left engine lost total power. Due to the damage incurred by the engine during its failure, the propeller could not be feathered and the airplane could not sustain flight. The pilot made an emergency landing in a field and during the roll out the left main gear and nose gear collapsed. Post accident examination of the failed engine revealed the number four cylinder and piston were gone from the case. The left case and fasteners were examined at the Safety Board's Materials Laboratory. The examination revealed fatigue cracking in the engine case, through bolts and studs. Three of the six studs around the number four cylinder were not recovered. The initial failure was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The separation of the number four cylinder on the airplane's left engine for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the rough/uneven terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City EAU CLAIRE
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16030
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1546 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID AOO
Elevation of weather observation facility 1504
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 4
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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 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) 2102
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
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 N4504B
NTSB Number BFO93LA164
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 402B
Aircraft Series Identifier 402B
Aircraft Serial Number 402B1370
Certified Max Gross Weight 6300
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 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 20 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 7584
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREIGHT RUNNERS EXPRESS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4800 SOUTH HOWELL AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City MILWAUKEE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 53207
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FREIGHT RUNNERS EXPRESS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 4800 SOUTH HOWELL AVE
Operator City MILWAUKEE
Operator State WI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 53207
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 --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MDT
Departure City HARRISBURG
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MKL
Destination City MILWAUKEE
Destination State WI
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 --