Donalsonville Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Donalsonville, Georgia 31745
Thursday, March 15, 2001 21:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The DC-3 experienced an in-flight engine fire, and made a forced landing at nearby airport, following the separation of the right engine assembly from the airframe. According to the pilot, during cruise flight, at 5000 feet, he heard a loud "bang" and saw a reflection of fire on his left engine nacelle. Fire damage was found on the trailing edge of the right wing and on the landing gear assembly. The engine examination also showed that No. 12 cylinder had separated from the main case. Evidence of oil from the No. 12 cylinder was found across engine and exhaust systems. Further examination revealed Nos. 7, 8 and 9 cylinders also failed and separated, and the engine seized and separated from the airframe.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The failure and separation of No.12 cylinder from the engine case that resulted in an in-flight oil fed fire; and the subsequent separation of the right engine from airframe.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2130
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Donalsonville
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31745
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport DONALSONVILLE MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 17J
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 147
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ABY
Elevation of weather observation facility 197
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.86
Density Altitude (feet) 1306
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11039
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 15 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2200
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 28 2001 7:25AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Atlanta

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N842MB
NTSB Number ATL01FA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Douglas
Aircraft Model DC-3
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 19741
Certified Max Gross Weight 26900
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 17
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Jim Hankins Air Service, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 10652
Aircraft Owner City Jackson
Aircraft Owner State MS
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 39209
Operator is an individual? No
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 EWKA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) --
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PFN
Departure City Panama City
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1950
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ABY
Destination City Albany
Destination State GA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2002 2:30PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 5200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --