Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Poulsbo, Washington 98370
Tuesady, June 22, 1999 17:03 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The Rotax engine in the amateur-built airplane seized while in flight. The pilot performed an emergency landing, with the airplane sustaining substantial damage. NTSB examination of the crankshaft, bearings and rods, and associated componentry, found no evidence of a general lack of lubrication. The labyrinth sleeve, located between the two front (PTO, or power takeoff end) bearings showed evidence of circular scoring and material transfer contact between the bore of the sleeve and the crankshaft surface, similar to that which would occur with foreign matter in the clearance space between the sleeve and crankshaft. A portion of what appeared to be a melted bearing retainer ring was found in one bearing. The flat face on the magneto side of the labyrinth sleeve was darkened and contained foreign material deposits which appeared similar in color and nature to the material of the bearing retainer ring. The PTO side of the labyrinth sleeve was configured with a ring at the inner and outer diameters, with a hollowed out region in between. The hollow contained foreign material deposits, as did the surface of the inner diameter ring. Little discoloration was noted on the PTO side of the labyrinth sleeve. The bore of the labyrinth ring showed a large amount of circumferential scoring and material transfer. The corresponding area on the surface of the crankshaft contained similar scoring and material transfer, consistent with contact between these two surfaces. The ball bearings in both of the PTO bearing assemblies were unevenly spaced, indicating that their retainer rings were either lost or somehow ineffective in keeping the balls evenly spaced.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Engine seizing due to failure of main bearing assemblies. Factors include foreign material in the labyrinth sleeve, and a stall encountered while the pilot was attempting his emergency landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/22/1999 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1703 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | POULSBO |
| Event State | WASHINGTON |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 98370 |
| 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 | 1655 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPW |
| 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 | 4300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| 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) | 17 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 10 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 1800 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 22 1999 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1750 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N700RM |
| NTSB Number | SEA99LA093 |
| 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 | Modrow |
| Aircraft Model | AVID FLYER |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AVID FLYER |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 711 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| 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 | -- |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 18 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 608 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | ROBERT G. MODROW |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 771 NE PINECREST DRIVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | BREMERTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | WA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 98311 |
| 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 | PWT |
| Departure City | BREMERTON |
| Departure State | WA |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1630 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 25 2001 4:11AM |
| 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 | -- |