Bismarck Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bismark, North Dakota 58501
Monday, March 20, 1989 21:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CLIMBING AFTER TAKEOFF AT NIGHT, THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED. THE FIGHT CREW SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE & RETURNED TO A SAFE LANDING AT THE AIRPORT. AN ENGINE INSPECTION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE PLENUM COMBUSTOR CHAMBER. THE CRACK EMINATED FROM A WELD BETWEEN TWO EXTERNALLY FIXED (WELDED) MOUNTS. THIS WAS THE SECOND PLENUM CHAMBER USED ON THIS ENGINE IN SIX MONTHS AND WAS OBTAINED FROM SPARE PARTS OF ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. IT WAS VISUALLY DETERMINED TO BE AIRWORTHY. NO OPERATIONAL HISTORY WAS AVAILABLE ON THIS PLENUM, NOR WAS THERE A SPECIFIC REQUIREMENT. REPLACEMENT WAS ON CONDITION, AND DAMAGE CONDITIONS WERE REQUIRED TO MEET THE MANUFACTURERS CRITERIA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILED (CRACKED) ENGINE PLENUM RESULTING IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/20/1989
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City BISMARK
Event State NORTH DAKOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 58501
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BISMARCK MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BIS
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2050 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BIS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5022
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 21 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40447
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:32PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N690MF
NTSB Number MKC89IA082
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name GULFSTREAM
Aircraft Model 690A
Aircraft Series Identifier 690A
Aircraft Serial Number 11103
Certified Max Gross Weight 10300
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 10 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 28
Airframe Hours 6565
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GREATWESTERN AVIATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 21-248
Aircraft Owner City EAGAN
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55121
Operator is an individual? --
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 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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FAR
Destination City FARGO
Destination State ND
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --