Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Mercer County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bluefield, West Virginia 24701
Monday, August 13, 2001 12:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot experienced a catastrophic engine failure while in cruise flight and performed a forced landing to an airport. Examination of the engine revealed a three inch hole in the engine case, adjacent to the number 2 cylinder. The airplane had been operated for about 4 hours since the number 1 and 2 cylinder and piston assemblies were replaced by a maintenance facility in Knoxville, Tennessee. A teardown of the engine revealed a separated number 2 connecting rod and significant damage to the number 2 piston and cylinder. Examination revealed heavy longitudinal scoring and metal transfer on the number 2 cylinder bore and the inboard edge of the barrel was deformed consistent with connecting rod contact. The inboard end of the number 2 connecting rod was fractured in two locations adjacent to the rod bearing area, and the surrounding area was discolored consistent with extreme localized heating. The connecting rod bolt fragment showed tensile elongation along with surface and fracture features consistent with an elevated temperature overstress separation. The crowns of both pistons indicated that they were manufactured by Superior Air Parts and were 0.010 inch oversize (P010) in diameter; however, diameter measurements made on each piston at various datum points revealed that the number 2 piston was closer in size to a standard size piston and did not contained any measurable dimensions within the P010 limits. Overall, the number 1 piston measurements tended to be closer to the P010 dimensions, and contained two locations that were in the P010 limits. Hardness measurements taken from both pistons were below the specified range for a new piston. The cylinder assemblies were supplied by an aviation facility in El Reno, Oklahoma, which used "serviceable parts." The specific service history of the pistons and piston pins could not be determined. The owner of aviation facility stated that they did not check the "piston skirt clearance" and expected the installer to check the skirt clearance per the Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) Overhaul Manual, at the time of the installation. According to maintenance facility in Tennessee, the cylinders were installed per the TCM Overhaul Manual.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Improper maintenance which resulted in the installation of an unserviceable piston assembly, and the subsequent catastrophic engine failure. Factors in this accident were the improper inspection by the piston supplier and the softening of the piston.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 8/13/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bluefield |
| Event State | WEST VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 24701 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | MERCER COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BLF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 2857 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1139 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BLF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2857 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 1700 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.2 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 12082 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Pilot |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 13 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1500 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2002 9:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Charleston |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N732JT |
| NTSB Number | NYC01IA211 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 210L |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21061555 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 3 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 4 |
| Airframe Hours | 4520 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Kittatinny Leasing Co. Inc |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Friendsville |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 37737 |
| 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 | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | HEF |
| Departure City | MANASSAS |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1005 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | TYS |
| Destination City | KNOXVILLE |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 28 2002 4:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 4742 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |