Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Auburn, Washington 98002
Saturday, July 3, 1999 16:50 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that shortly after takeoff from a touch-and-go landing, the engine began to lose power and eventually quit. A forced landing was made to a field. During the landing roll, the airplane was substantially damaged. An engine inspection found that the number one intake valve was stuck open. Further inspection found that the number one exhaust cam follower head broke in three pieces. Debris from the exhaust cam follower was found jammed between the cam and the cam follower to the number one intake plunger assembly of that cam follower. A section of the engine casing also broke away from around the number one intake cam follower. Maintenance records indicate that the engine total time was beyond manufacturer's recommendation for time between overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Total mechanical failure of the hydraulic tappet. A factor was an overdue major overhaul per manufacturer's recommendations.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/3/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City AUBURN
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98002
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 7
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID RNT
Elevation of weather observation facility 32
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 80
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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) 1907
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 3 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2001 4:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N531PC
NTSB Number SEA99LA101
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17274698
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 100
Airframe Hours 2218
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AUBURN FLIGHT SERVICE INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 506 23RD N.E.
Aircraft Owner City AUBURN
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98002
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code S50
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
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 11 2001 4:06AM
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 --