Lambert-St. Louis Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

St. Louis, Missouri 63101
Wednesday, October 26, 1983 7:52 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCREW ENCOUNTERED AN ENG PROBLEM (WHICH WAS REPORTED AS DETONATION) & REQUESTED CLEARANCE TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT. THE FLT WAS VECTORED FOR A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN TO RWY 24. THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS AT 2000 FT MSL & HAD FEATHERED THE #1 ENG AS HE TURNED ONTO BASE LEG. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED SMOKE TRAILING THE ACFT AS IT TURNED FROM BASE TO FINAL APCH. REPORTEDLY, THE #2 ENG LOST ALL POWER & THE AIRCREW WERE UNABLE TO REACH THE RWY. THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE ARPT, BUT APRX 1350 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT PROP BLADES SLASHED INTO THE GRASS TURF, THE LEFT WING HIT 4 APCH LIGHTS, THEN THE ACFT CROSSED A GULLY & SUBSEQUENTLY, THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. A TEARDOWN OF THE #2 ENG REVEALED THAT ITS MASTER ROD HAD FAILED. BOTH OF THE FRACTURE SURFACES WERE COMPLETELY SMEARED, REMOVING EVIDENCE OF THE FRACTURE ORIGIN. THE #1 ENG WAS REMOVED & MOUNTED ONANOTHER ACFT & OPERATED NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 752
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City ST. LOUIS
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63101
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport LAMBERT-ST. LOUIS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID STL
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 605
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 747
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID STL
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 6
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 26
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2304
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25545
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30DR
NTSB Number MKC84FA010
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CONVAIR
Aircraft Model 340
Aircraft Series Identifier 340
Aircraft Serial Number 142
Certified Max Gross Weight 45000
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 50031
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JACK E. COUNTS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7829 CHURCHILL WAY
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75251
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COMBS AIRWAYS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3390 SYRACUSE ST.
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80238
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 741
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MKC
Destination City KANSAS CITY
Destination State MO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2002 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 7600
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --