Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
New Braunfels, Texas 78132
Tuesady, February 8, 2000 13:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot made several takeoffs and landings prior to departing the traffic pattern. Witnesses reported observing the airplane flying at an altitude of approximately 20 feet above the trees, and they reported that they did not hear the airplane's engine running. A witness stated that the airplane flew by her in a level attitude, and after the airplane cleared some power lines it started to descend. It then appeared that the airplane's left wing impacted some trees before it nosed down into the trees. Continuity was established to all of the 1968-model Beech Musketeer's flight controls. Examination of the engine oil pressure and suction screens revealed the presence of metal particles, shavings and flakes. The oil pressure relief valve plug, spring, and ball were removed. The ball had metal adhering to it, and the ball seat was contaminated with metal, which according to the manufacturer representative, "may have prevented the ball from contacting the seat." A large amount of sludge was found inside of the crankshaft. A teardown examination of the engine revealed evidence of a lack of lubrication. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that the engine's last oil change was on July 2, 1999, at a total airplane and engine time of 1,665.0 hours. There was no record that the oil suction screen or oil pressure screens were cleaned during that oil change. The last documented cleaning of the oil screens was December 1, 1996. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated a total time of 1,680.92 hours and the engine had never undergone an overhaul. The engine's operating manual states that "at each 100 hour inspection remove suction screen. Inspect for metal particles; clean and reinstall. Inspect and clean pressure screen every 25 hours."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the seizure of the engine while maneuvering due to the oil pressure relief valve plug ball seat becoming contaminated with metal. Contributing factors were the inadequate engine maintenance, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/8/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | NEW BRAUNFELS |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 78132 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| 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 | 1351 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 142 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BAZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 651 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 73 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 36 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Unknown |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 10453 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 8 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1450 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 20 2001 2:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N4014T |
| NTSB Number | FTW00FA080 |
| 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 | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | B23 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | B23 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | M-1121 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Oct 6 1999 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 1681 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MICHAEL S. SOOTER |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 447 BOBWHITE LANE |
| Aircraft Owner City | NEW BRAUNFELS |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 78132 |
| 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 | BAZ |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 22 2001 4:00AM |
| 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 | -- |