Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Timmonsville, South Carolina 29161
Saturday, June 5, 1999 20:27 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight at 4,500 feet, the engine lost partial power. About 4 minutes later the engine lost all power. About 9 minutes after initial loss of engine power, while making a forced landing, the aircraft touched down in a tobacco field, overran the field, crossed a road, and came to rest in a ditch. Postcrash examination of the engine showed the cylinders had been installed with sealing compound under the bases. The No. 2 cylinder hold down studs had lost torque and failed, and the cylinder had separated from the engine case. Subsequently, the No. 1 and No. 2 connecting rods broke loose from the crankshaft and the engine seized. Engine records indicated the engine had been overhauled about 12 years and 1,257 flight hours before the failure. No entries show removal and re-installation of the cylinders after the engine overhaul. The engine was last inspected 64 flight hours before the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to the improper installation and in-flight separation of an engine cylinder.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/5/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2027
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City TIMMONSVILLE
Event State SOUTH CAROLINA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 29161
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2056 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID FLO
Elevation of weather observation facility 148
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 900
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 459
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 5 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2240
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:39AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1982Q
NTSB Number MIA99LA164
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 177RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 177RG
Aircraft Serial Number 177RG0382
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 9 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 64
Airframe Hours 3589
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACOB R. BROWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1212 WEST CAPERS ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CHARLESTON
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29412
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 47J
Departure City CHERAW
Departure State SC
Departure Country
Departure Time 1953
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JZI
Destination City CHARLESTON
Destination State SC
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 --