Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Charles, Michigan 48655
Saturday, September 12, 1992 11:44 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE OIL PRESSURE READINGS STEADILY DECREASED AS THE SOLO STUDENT PILOT CARRIED OUT HIS SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE ELECTED TO DIVERT FROM HIS FLIGHT PLAN TO AN ALTERNATE AIRSTRIP THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND PRODUCE SMOKE. AS THE PILOT PROCEDED TO THE ALTERNATE DESTINATION, THE ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A NEARBY MUDDY BEAN FIELD. UPON LANDING IN THE FIELD, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION OF THE OIL PUMP REVEALED THAT THE OIL PUMP DRIVEN IMPELLER HAD A BROKEN TOOTH, AS WELL AS BROKEN DRIVE TANGS ON THE OIL PUMP DRIVESHAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE JAMMING OF THE OIL PRESSURE PUMP CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE OIL PRESSURE PUMP DRIVEN IMPELLER. THE LACK OF A SUITABLE LANDING AREA WAS A FACTOR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1144
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ST. CHARLES
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48655
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1157 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 15
Weather Observation Facility ID MBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
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) 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) 997
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 12 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1524
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52287
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5361K
NTSB Number CHI92LA274
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274080
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 21 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 27
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ELLIS III, JOHN M.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4011 WOODHAMS
Aircraft Owner City PORTAGE
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49081
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KAL-AERO, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5605 PORTAGE ROAD
Operator City KALAMAZOO
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49002
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AZO
Departure City KALAMAZOO
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MBS
Destination City SAGINAW
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --