Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richmond Hts., Ohio 44143
Thursday, February 6, 1992 21:01 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD THE WASTE GATES ON THE TURBOCHARGES ADJUSTED AND WANTED TO TEST FLY THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED AND HAD REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1000 FEET WHEN WITNESSES HEARD AN ENGINE SPUTTER. THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ENTER A NOSE LOW, LEFT SPIN BEFORE IMPACTING THE TERRAIN. A TEAR DOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE EXHAUST VALVES IN CYLINDERS #3 AND #5 WERE BURNT THROUGH AT THE VALVE HEAD. THE #5 EXHAUST VALVE HAD A DEEP PREEXISTING DEEP MARK ON THE VALVE STEM. THE FAILURES OF BOTH VALVES WERE SUFFICENT ENOUGH TO CAUSE A POWER FAILURE IN THE LEFT ENGINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT SPIN AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE TO ALLOW RECOVERY. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE; A POWER LOSS IN THE LEFT ENGINE AS RESULT OF THE EXHAUST VALVE FAILURES IN CYLINDERS #3 AND #5.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/6/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2101
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City RICHMOND HTS.
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 44143
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
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) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 834
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47687
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N725AC
NTSB Number NYC92FA055
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 AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model 500S
Aircraft Series Identifier 500S
Aircraft Serial Number 3144
Certified Max Gross Weight 6750
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 26 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 500
Airframe Hours 3276
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SHRIKE CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2316 BAYNARD BLVD
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19802
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MICHAEL STANTON-HICKS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9500 EUCLID AVE
Operator City CLEVELAND
Operator State OH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 44195
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2059
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 --