Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Greenville, Michigan 48838
Wednesday, August 29, 1990 18:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISFIRE. WHEN HE REDUCED POWER TO IDLE, THE MISFIRING STOPPED, BUT WHEN HE ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO CRUISE POWER THE ENGINE MISFIRED SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER DEPARTED THE ENGINE. THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO A FIELD CONTAINING COR WHICH WAS 6-8 FEET HIGH. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED-OVER ON LANDING ROLL AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER WAS LOOSE PRIOR TO SEPARATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

SEPARATION OF A LOOSE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY IN FLIGHT, AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING THE EXECUTION OF A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City GREENVILLE
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48838
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1929 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID GRR
Elevation of weather observation facility 794
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
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) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1562
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42834
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5481L
NTSB Number CHI90LA249
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 Ryan
Aircraft Model PT-22A
Aircraft Series Identifier PT-22A
Aircraft Serial Number 1861
Certified Max Gross Weight 1885
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 30 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 1245
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DAVID R. STEVENS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5280 E. WOODMEADE CT. SE
Operator City GRAND RAPIDS
Operator State MI
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 49546
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6D6
Departure City GREENVILLE
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1840
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Landing
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 --