Laredo International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laredo, Texas 78041
Saturday, August 3, 1991 10:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTED AN UNSUAL SMELL WHICH HE THOUGHT MIGHT HAVE BEEN ELECTRICAL OR SMOKE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DECREASED. THE POWERPLANT THEN STARTED TO VIBRATE AND THE PILOT SHUT IT OFF. THE PILOT WAS COMMUNICATING WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL AND WAS ATTEMPTING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT AN AIRPORT WHEN THE FORCED LANDING OCCURRED. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO LAND ON. THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL ON THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT AN 'O' RING IN THE OIL FILTER ADAPTOR ASSEMBLY WAS CRUSHED AND THE ENGINE OIL ESCAPED AT THAT DAMAGED AREA CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER. NO OIL REMAINED IN THE ENGINE. THE ADAPTOR ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN WORKED ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FLIGHT BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE OIL FILTER ADAPTOR 'O' RING (SEAL) BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WHO DISTORTED IT. A FACTOR WAS THE ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1991
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City LAREDO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78041
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAREDO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID LRD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 320
Airport Elevation 508
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
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) 2200
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1501
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45346
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8111R
NTSB Number FTW91LA140
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 BEECH
Aircraft Model K35
Aircraft Series Identifier K35
Aircraft Serial Number D5940
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 8 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 3114
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAN R. BLAKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12427 CHADWELL
Aircraft Owner City HOUSTON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 77031
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAN R. BLAKER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 12427 CHADWELL
Operator City HOUSTON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 77031
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 HRL
Departure City HARLINGEN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 6R6
Destination City DRYDEN
Destination State TX
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 14
Runway Length 5926
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --