National Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Washington, District Of Columbia 20001
Friday, August 31, 1984 1:23 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON RWY 18 FOLLOWING A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RT ENG & A SUBSEQUENT IN-FLIGHT FIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CRACK IN THE #1 CYL THAT ORIGINATED AT THE EXHAUST PORT, DOWNSTREAM OF THE VALVE. THE CRACK PROPAGATED THROUGH FATIQUE TO THE TOP SPARK PLUG HOLE. EVENTUALLY, IT PROGRESSED TO THE POINT THAT THE FLAME PATH (DURING THE COMBUSITION CYCLES), TORCHED THROUGH NEAR THE SPARK PLUG HOLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/31/1984
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 123
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WASHINGTON
Event State DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20001
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DCA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 16
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 50 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID DCA
Elevation of weather observation facility 16
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
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) 29
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) 5065
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26553
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N72TM
NTSB Number BFO84IA004
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH 213
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Aug 23 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 6310
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH W. GIBSON III
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8432 EMORY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City GAITHERSBURG
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20877
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GIBSON AVIATION
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7940 AIRPARK DRIVE
Operator City GAITHERSBURG
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20879
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 No
Departure Airport Code DCA
Departure City WASHINGTON
Departure State DC
Departure Country
Departure Time 121
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CLT
Destination City CHARLOTTE
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 18
Runway Length 6869
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --