Chehalis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chehalis, Washington 98532
Sunday, September 1, 1991 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

JUST AFTER RETRACTING THE GEAR ON TAKEOFF, THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT, WHO WAS APPROXIMATELY 200 FFET ABOVE THE RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED, MADE A FORCED LANDING JUST OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, DURING THE FLARE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED NUMEROUS YOUNG CHRISTMAS TREES. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER ONE PISTON CONNECTING ROD HAD FRACTURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB DUE TO THE FATIGUE FRACTURE OF THE NUMBER ONE PISTON CONNECTING ROD RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TREES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1991
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CHEHALIS
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98532
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHEHALIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CLS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 330
Airport Elevation 174
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
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 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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 1542
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 45390
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N91736
NTSB Number SEA91LA227
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model NAVION A
Aircraft Series Identifier NAVION A
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-188
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
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 Oct 20 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MILLIGAN, LEWIS D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2864 PACIFIC VIEW TRAIL
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90068
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MILLIGAN, LEWIS D.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2864 PACIFIC VIEW TRAIL
Operator City LOS ANGELES
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90068
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLM
Destination City PORT ANGELES
Destination State WA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 33
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --