Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Beaver City, Nebraska 68926
Friday, July 10, 1992 17:25 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS ENGAGED IN AERIAL APPLICATION ACTIVITIES WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE STATED HE HAD JUST ENTERED A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION AT THE END OF A SWATH RUN WHEN THERE WAS A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A TERRACED WHEAT FIELD, AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A TERRACE. THE PILOT ESTIMATED HE WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE LEFT MAGNETO FAILED DUE TO A JAMMED FLYWEIGHT ON THE IMPULSE COUPLING. THE CRANKSHAFT DRIVE GEAR THEN FAILED, AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE OVERHAUL OF THE LEFT MAGNETO, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAGNETO/IGNITION SYSTEM WHICH CAUSED A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1725
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BEAVER CITY
Event State NEBRASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 68926
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 Pilot
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
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) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2318
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 10 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2015
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47195
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9627Z
NTSB Number CHI92DCJ04
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 CALLAIR
Aircraft Model A-9
Aircraft Series Identifier A-9
Aircraft Serial Number 1030
Certified Max Gross Weight 1900
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 Oct 10 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 79
Airframe Hours 3828
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRAIL, JOHN W & HESTER A
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 554
Aircraft Owner City ARAPAHOE
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68922
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TRAIL, JOHN W & HESTER A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 554
Operator City ARAPAHOE
Operator State NE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 68922
Operator Code PTFG
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 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 No
Departure Airport Code 37V
Departure City ARAPAHOE
Departure State NE
Departure Country
Departure Time 1645
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 37V
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 10:35AM
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 --