Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mayer, Arizona 86333
Thursday, June 29, 2000 8:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane collided with terrain during a forced landing following a catastrophic engine failure. The commercial pilot reported that he had the single engine airplane established in a cruise climb when he heard and felt a loud explosion coming from the engine. He then observed numerous punctures in the top of the engine cowling after the explosion, and reported that the engine stopped running within 10 seconds. The pilot elected to land on a gravel road. He reported that the airplane touched down at 70 knots and eventually ran off the side of the gravel road, which had a sharp bend to the left. The airplane impacted low brush and boulders and traveled down a hill before coming to rest. The engine underwent its last overhaul on June 16, 2000, and had accumulated approximately 5 hours since the overhaul, 2 of which were in the engine test cell. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed that the two connecting rod bolt nuts for the number 6 rod were laying in the bottom of the engine case. The nuts were not stripped or damaged.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the total loss of engine power resulting from the mechanic's failure to properly torque the connecting rod bolt nuts during engine overhaul.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 850
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Mayer
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86333
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 853 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5045
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 13000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
Density Altitude (feet) 6741
Intensity of Precipitation --
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) 14294
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3094Q
NTSB Number LAX00LA244
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 182K
Aircraft Series Identifier 182K
Aircraft Serial Number 18258094
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 16 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 3747.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Prescott Precision Die
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3231 Tower Road
Aircraft Owner City Prescott
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86301
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PRC
Departure City Prescott
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHX
Destination City Phoenix
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Sep 15 2003 1:24PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --