Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Homerville, Ga Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Homerville, Georgia 31634
Sunday, August 26, 2001 9:56 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Less than two hours into the flight, the engine lost power during cruise. During emergency descent, the airplane struck power lines and a tree, then collided with the ground. Examination of the engine accessory case revealed the idler gear was fractured, and the two attachment holes in the crank case for the idler gear shaft assembly were elongated. Three fractured teeth from the idler gear and two separated bolt heads were recovered. The fracture surface of each gear tooth displayed crack arrest marks and a rough surface consist with high-stress, low-cycle fatigue. The shanks below each separated bolt head were worn to about one-third their original diameter. The engine received a zero-time equivalent overhaul on May 9, 1985, and operated 1371 hours since the overhaul. Textron Lycoming Service Instruction No. 1009AQ states the recommended time between overhaul periods for the engine is 2000 hours. The Lycoming parts catalog for the engine specifies a bolt is required to attach the idler gear shaft assembly at one attachment hole, and a slotted nut and stud are required to attach the idler gear shaft assembly at the other attachment hole.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper replacement of an accessory drive component with an unapproved part by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a fatigue fracture of the component and loss of engine power. The airplane subsequently collided with power lines and trees during an emergency landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/26/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 956 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Homerville |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 31634 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 310321N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0824626W |
| Event Location Airport | Homerville, GA |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KHOE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 186 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 955 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 243 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KVLD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 203 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 31 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 27 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 1499 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KVLD 261355Z 13005K+ 6SM HZ FEW030 SCT120 27/22 A3 |
| 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) | 13666 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 26 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1030 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 23 2003 8:35AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | ATLANTA FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2116G |
| NTSB Number | ATL01LA095 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-7940015 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | Feb 5 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 34.6 |
| Airframe Hours | 2903 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | King Champ Aviation Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6442 Cannon Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Flowery Branch |
| Aircraft Owner State | GA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 30542 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Charles W. King |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | ISM |
| Departure City | Kissimmee |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 814 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LZU |
| Destination City | Lawrenceville |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2003 9:27AM |
| User who most recently changed record | POWP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 4000 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |