Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023
Tuesady, October 10, 1989 12:42 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRPLANE WAS FLYING A SCENIC TOUR WHEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS TO THE FULLEST TANK AND POWER WAS REGAINED MOMENTARILY. THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE PROPELLER DID NOT WINDMILL. THE PILOT ACCOMPLISHED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN RUGGED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FRACTURED. EXAMINATION OF THE FRACTURE REVEALED SUBSURFACE METAL FATIGUE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INFLIGHT FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE'S POWERPLANT AS A RESULT METAL FATIGUE WHICH ALLOWED THE CRANKSHAFT TO FRACTURE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN OF THE GRAND CANYON WHICH DID NOT ALLOW A SUITABLE FORCED LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/10/1989
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1242
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GRAND CANYON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86023
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1242 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 6672
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 3
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2334
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 10 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42408
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:08PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7602U
NTSB Number LAX90FA007
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T207A
Aircraft Series Identifier T207A
Aircraft Serial Number 20700442
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 6 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 92
Airframe Hours 6302
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVIATION SERVICES WEST
Aircraft Owner Street Address 50 EAST 100 SOUTH SUITE 202
Aircraft Owner City ST GEORGE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84770
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1385
Operator City PAGE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 86040
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 Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGA
Departure City PAGE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone MST
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --