Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

40 Se Bettles, Alaska 99726
Saturday, August 4, 1990 15:05 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT HAD INDICATED TO BETTLES FSS THAT HE HAD LOST POWER AND THAT HE HAD A FIRE ON BOARD. THE WRECKAGE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOCATED 40 MILES SE OF BETTLES. ON-SITE EXAMINATION SHOWES THAT THE RIGHT WING, BOTH AILERONS, LEFT FLAP, RUDDER, VERTICAL FIN AND STABILATOR HAD ALL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE IN FLIGHT. TWO OF THE THREE VERTICAL FIN/STABILATOR-TO-FUSELAGE MOUNTS HAD FAILED IN OVERLOAD; THE THIRD MOUNT WAS RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED WITH THE BOLT MISSING AND VISIBLE ELONGATION OF THE BOLT HOLE. ENGINE EXAM REVEALED EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE #5 CYLINDER, THE HEAD AREA HAVING BEEN COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE ROD CAP AND ONE BOLT COULD NOT BE FOUND AT THE WRECKAGE SITE. FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT MAJOR REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE AIRFRAME, THE ENGINE NOSE CASE WAS REMOVED AND OVERHAULED, AND THE PROPELLER WAS OVERHAULED. AIRCRAFT AND PILOT INVOLVED IN LANDING ACCIDENT ON 6/29/88 SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. LYCOMING SB RECOMMENDS ENGINE TEARDOWN AFTER SUDDEN STOPPAGE; NO RECORD OF COMPLIANCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE #5 CONNECTING ROD BOLT AND CAP WHICH RESULTED IN THE RUPTURE OF THE ENGINE HOUSING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FIRE DUE TO OIL SPILLAGE, AND AN INADEQUATELY MOUNTED VERTICAL FIN/STABILATOR. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1505
Event Time Zone --
Event City 40 SE BETTLES
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99726
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1906
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 4 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1515
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43803
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6493V
NTSB Number ANC90FA134
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HELIO
Aircraft Model COURIER H-295
Aircraft Series Identifier COURIER H-
Aircraft Serial Number 1458
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3986
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VIXIE ROCHESTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 40015
Aircraft Owner City CLEAR
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99704
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name METHENY, JAMES R
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 40015
Operator City CLEAR
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99704
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code Z84
Departure City CLEAR
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City HAPPY VALLEY
Destination State AK
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --