Almyra Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Almyra, Arkansas 72003
Wednesday, November 1, 2000 14:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that the flight was in cruise at 7,000 feet when ' the engine quit without notice, as though the mags had been turned off-no sputtering or gradual loss of engine power.' He executed a forced landing to a field, where the airplane came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the upper retaining screw for the crankshaft idler gear had separated. The lower retaining screw remained intact; however, it exhibited excessive wear and the bolt hole for this screw was severely elongated. Metallurgical examination revealed that the upper retaining screw fractured in high stress, low cycle fatigue. The examination further revealed that the upper screw most likely fractured after the lower screw had come loose.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the loss of engine power due to the crankshaft idler gear's loose lower retaining screw, which resulted in the fatigue failure of the crankshaft idler gear's upper retaining screw.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/1/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City ALMYRA
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72003
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport ALMYRA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID M73
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 208
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID SGT
Elevation of weather observation facility 224
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 21
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1864
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1121
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 2 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 10 2001 4:30PM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8710W
NTSB Number FTW01LA018
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-235
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235
Aircraft Serial Number 28-10243
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Oct 5 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 9
Airframe Hours 3067
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INTERNET-DUNCAN, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 750056
Aircraft Owner City DUNCAN
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73575
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name TERRY D. WOMACK
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2019 CRESTMONT DRIVE
Operator City DUNCAN
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73533
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 TXK
Departure City TEXARKANA
Departure State AR
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code M97
Destination City TUNICA
Destination State MS
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2001 4:08AM
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 --