Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hamilton, Indiana 46742
Saturday, June 3, 1989 8:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT AT 7,500 FT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND A LOSS OF POWER RESULTED. DURING A FORCED LANDING APPROACH TO A FIELD, FIRE WAS NOTED COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE NACELLE. THE PILOT ACTIVATED THE FIRE BOTTLE AND CUT OFF THE MIXTURE WHICH EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED GEAR-UP IN AN OPEN FIELD. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A CONNECTING ROD FAILURE IN THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN A FAILURE OF THE INTAKE VALVE ALLOWING THE FUEL MIXTURE TO IGNITE IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE #3 CONNECTING ROD. A FACTOR WAS THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 800
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City HAMILTON
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 46742
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
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 Pilot
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 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2295
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 815
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42197
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N91KD
NTSB Number CHI89DET06
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name DILLEY
Aircraft Model P51R
Aircraft Series Identifier P51R
Aircraft Serial Number 87-1001
Certified Max Gross Weight 8700
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 2589
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FORT WAYNE AIR SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4021 AIR STREET
Aircraft Owner City FORT WAYNE
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46809
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN E. DILLEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2830 MALLARD COVE LANE
Operator City FORT WAYNE
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46809
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 --
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 FWA
Departure City FORT WAYNE
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 730
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FNT
Destination City FLINT
Destination State MI
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 --