Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240
Wednesday, May 13, 1992 19:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

EN ROUTE FROM MOUNTAIN VIEW, MISSOURI, TO HOPKINSVILLE, KENTUCKY, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED FROM 78 PSI TO 70 PSI. A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS MADE AND A VISUAL CHECK OF THE AIRPLANE WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE OIL PRESSURE WAS STILL INDICATING A SAFE PRESSURE, SO THE PILOT CONTINUED THE FLIGHT TO HOPKINSVILLE. APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES OUTSIDE OF HOPKINSVILLE, THE ENGINE'S OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE LOST PARTIAL POWER. THE PILOT WAS MAKING A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A SINGLE GUY WIRE STRETCHED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND, NOSED OVER AND SLID APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST UPRIGHT. AN ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE EXHAUST STACK AND PORT OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER. EXAMINATION OF THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: A BROKEN OIL RING, THE NUMBER 2 RING FROZEN IN THE GROOVE OF THE PISTON, AND ONE OF THE PISTON PLUGS WAS WORN WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE PISTON PLUG'S HOLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 OIL RING IN THE NUMBER 4 ENGINE CYLINDER RESULTING IN OIL LEAKAGE, LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE, AND ENGINE POWER LOSS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1992
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1900
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City HOPKINSVILLE
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42240
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
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 1855 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID HOP
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 210
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46228
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4MG
NTSB Number BFO92LA061
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Aerotek
Aircraft Model PITTS S-1S
Aircraft Series Identifier PITTS S-1S
Aircraft Serial Number 1-0016
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 May 7 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 1020
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MEYER M. GUTMAN/J. RIEDLBAUER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2052 CHOCTAW DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SIERRA VISTA
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85635
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MEYER M. GUTMAN/J. RIEDLBAUER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2052 CHOCTAW DRIVE
Operator City SIERRA VISTA
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 85635
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 2M0
Departure City PRINCETON
Departure State KY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1820
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --