Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheffield, Texas 79781
Sunday, February 3, 1985 14:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THE ENG FAILED COMPLETELY DURING CRUISE. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS FOUND SEPARATED DURING THE ENG TEARDOWN, WITH THE ROD AND BEARINGS ALSO SEPARATED. METALLURGICAL TESTING REVEALED FRACTURES TO BE FROM FATIGUE. ENG MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY ACCOMPLISHED DURING REPLACEMENT OF PISTONS AND ROD COMPONENTS. RODS HAD NOT BEEN PROPERLY ALIGNED, THUS ALLOWING BEARINGS AND CAPS TO RUB AND GROOVE THE CRANKSHAFT, CAUSING THE FAILURE POINT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHEFFIELD
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79781
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 2
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 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 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) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
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) 2698
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 11 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1633
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30408
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5821X
NTSB Number FTW85LA116
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 Beech
Aircraft Model C-35
Aircraft Series Identifier C-35
Aircraft Serial Number D-2773
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 11 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 65
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. GERSTEMEIER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 244
Aircraft Owner City MYRTLE BEACH
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29577
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 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 AUS
Departure City AUSTIN
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City EL PASO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --