Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bentleyville, Pennsylvania 15314
Sunday, June 23, 2002 11:27 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While en route, the airplane's engine lost power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a hayfield. Examination of the two-stroke Rotax engine revealed that the lower MAG cylinder connecting rod bearing had failed, and portions of it, in the form of metallic debris were observed in the chamber beneath the MAG cylinder. Further disassembly of the engine revealed debris damage on the MAG cylinder piston dome and combustion chamber, as well as the crankcase, the rotary valve and drive shaft gear.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the MAG cylinder rod bearing, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor in the damage to the airplane was the terrain condition of the forced landing field.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1127
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Bentleyville
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 15314
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400200N
Event Location Longitude 0800002W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID AGC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1252
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 19
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
Density Altitude (feet) 2222
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) 13808
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jun 23 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1210
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2003 8:17AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5123B
NTSB Number IAD02LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Murawski
Aircraft Model Pulsar
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 170
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 24 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 550
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert Murawski
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Pittsburgh
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15236
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 WAY
Departure City Waynesburg
Departure State PA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code P53
Destination City Monongahela
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2003 10:58AM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --