Tulsa Int. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74115
Friday, April 27, 1990 9:27 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL, THE ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING AND THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO EXECUTE A FORCED LANDING INTO A HEAVILY WOODED BIRD SANCTUARY. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR ATTACHMENT BOLT WAS LOOSE WITH 0.196 INCHES OF PLAY AND THE DOWEL PIN WAS SHEARED. GEAR INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS CALLED FOR THE GEAR TO BE SEATED WITH A DRIFT AND HAMMER WITH NO MORE THAN 0.001 INCHES OF CLEARANCE. OTHERWISE, THE DOWEL PIN WOULD BE OFFSET AND WORK. BOTH THE BOLT AND THE DOWEL PIN SHOWED EVIDENCE OF WORKING. SHEARING OF THE CRANKSHAFT DOWEL PIN WOULD HAVE RELEASED THE GEAR TO ROTATE ABOUT THE BOLT, THUS DISCONNECTING THE GEAR AND THE IDLER GEARS WHICH TRANSMITTED TORQUE TO THE MAGNETOS. SECONDARY DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED IN THE LEFT MAGNETO. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN OVERHAULED 88.7 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A DISCONNECT IN THE MAGNETO DRIVE TRAIN CAUSED BY THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR NOT BEING PROPERLY INSTALLED AND SECURED DURING A RECENT ENGINE OVERHAUL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 927
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City TULSA
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74115
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TULSA INT.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TWL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 640
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 938 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID TUL
Elevation of weather observation facility 640
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1051
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42270
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7732J
NTSB Number FTW90LA102
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-1135
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 23 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 6106
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GALHOUN, JOHN L
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2207 CUSTER PARKWAY
Aircraft Owner City RICHARDSON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75080
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARTINAIRE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2850 BURBANK
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75235
Operator Code GPMA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DAL
Departure City DALLAS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 740
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17R
Runway Length 6101
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --