Eastern West Virginia Re. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Martinsburg, West Virginia 25401
Tuesady, June 29, 1982 22:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL-OFF TO CRUISE, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE THE POWER, BUT THE ENGINE RPM CONTINUED TO DECREASE. A TURN WAS MADE BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT. WHILE SCANNING THE INSTRUMENTS, ZERO OIL PRESSURE AND A HIGH OIL TEMPERATURE WERE NOTED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE QUIT OPERATING AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO GET IT RESTARTED. HE LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD, AND DURING THE ROLL-OUT, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE OIL PUMP (LW-12897) HAD FAILED. A TEARDOWN OF THE PUMP REVEALED THAT A TOOTH HAD FAILED AND HAD BECOME WEDGED IN THE GEAR HOUSING. ALSO, THE INNER WALLS OF THE GEAR HOUSING WERE SCORED. AD 81-18-04 APPLIED TO THIS ENGINE AND PUMP, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE BECOME APPLICABLE UNTIL 2000 HOURS AFTER OVERHAUL OR UNTIL THE ACCESSORY SECTION WAS REMOVED. WHEN APPLICABLE, IT WOULD HAVE REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE IRON SINTERED IMPELLER WITH A HARDENED STEEL IMPELLER. THE ENGINE HAD 1410 HRS, SINCE OVERHAUL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1982
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2230
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARTINSBURG
Event State WEST VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 25401
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA RE.
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
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 Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 80
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1457
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N61791
NTSB Number ATL82DA181
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172
Aircraft Series Identifier 172
Aircraft Serial Number 17264804
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 3548
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name VALLEY AERO INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City MARTINSBURG
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARVI E. CLARKE, JR.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT. 2, BOX 81
Operator City HEDGESVILLE
Operator State WV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 --
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
Departure City MARTINSBURG
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MARTINSBURG
Destination State WV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 35
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --