Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Saint Vincent, Minnesota 56755
Friday, June 30, 2000 8:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was returning to the airport when the engine failed. A subsequent landing in a wheat field resulted. The pilot said, "After pulling out of field I felt an abnormal vibration, I pulled the throttle back 100 rpm and it seemed OK. After only approximately 1/2 mile the engine shook violently and quit." The aircraft was powered by a Continental 6-285 "Tiara" geared engine. A postaccident examination revealed that the prop driver gear shaft on the engine was protruding out of the front of the engine approximately one inch further than normal. The engine could not be rotated by hand. No other engine or airframe anomalies were detected that could be associated with a preexisting condition.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the failure of the engine reduction gear assembly. Factors were the low altitude when the failure occurred and the crops.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SAINT VINCENT
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 56755
Event Date Year 2000
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 753 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID GFK
Elevation of weather observation facility 844
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 60
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 66
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 57
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10374
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1426
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N11A
NTSB Number CHI00LA211
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-36-285
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-36-285
Aircraft Serial Number 36-7560117
Certified Max Gross Weight 4400
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 3582
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NORTH STAR AVIATION OF HALLOCK
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 852
Aircraft Owner City HALLOCK
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 56728
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 Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PMB
Departure City PEMBINA
Departure State ND
Departure Country
Departure Time 700
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 19 2001 4:04AM
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 --