Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ridgeland, South Carolina 29936
Tuesady, December 7, 1993 13:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE DESCENT, THE PILOT NOTED A SLIGHT ENGINE VIBRATION. DURING DESCENT, HE NOTICED THAT THE ELECTRONIC TACHOMETER FOR THE RIGHT MAGNETO WAS READING ZERO AND BLUE SMOKE BEGAN ENTERING THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT OIL BEGAN COVERING PORTIONS OF THE WINDSCREEN AND THE ENGINE SEIZED. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A COTTON FIELD ABOUT SEVEN MILES WEST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED AN AREA OF SOFT DIRT AND NOSED OVER. POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKCASE, CAUSING A LARGE HOLE FROM WHICH OIL COULD ESCAPE FROM THE ENGINE. THE LEFT MAGNETO WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE EARLY STAGES OF SEPARATION FROM THE ENGINE. THE MAGNETOS HAD BEEN INSTALLED 16 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BY A CERTIFIED REPAIR STATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE MAGNETOS BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH ALLOWED THE RIGHT MAGNETO TO COME LOOSE, OIL TO ESCAPE FROM THE ENGINE, AND SUBSEQUENT OIL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/7/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City RIDGELAND
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29936
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 12
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 Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID ATL
Elevation of weather observation facility 1026
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 190
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2700
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) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1595
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 7 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:47PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N443MW
NTSB Number ATL94LA027
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WONDER
Aircraft Model VAN'S ACFT RV-6
Aircraft Series Identifier VAN'S ACFT
Aircraft Serial Number 21057
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Mar 19 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 88
Airframe Hours 242
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVIS, RAYMOND D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4 SEA HAWK LANE
Aircraft Owner City HILTON HEAD
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29928
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 29928
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 No
Departure Airport Code LZU
Departure City LAWRENCEVILLE
Departure State GA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
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 Landing
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 --