Salina Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salina, Kansas 67401
Friday, May 21, 1982 8:12 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AT ABOUT 300 FT AGL AFTER TAKEOFF AND THE ROUGHNESS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A SLIGHT LEFT YAW. THE PILOT SAID THE LEFT ENGINE WAS PRODUCING SOME POWER SO HE ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE; THEREFORE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A GEAR-UP LANDING IN A WHEAT FIELD. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS GEAR-UP LANDING AND HAD ACCUMULATED 420 HOURS SINCE THEN. AN EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER WOULD ROTATE FREELY WITHOUT ROTATION OF THE CRANKSHAFT. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SPLINE BUSHING, PN 75462, TURNED FREELY IN THE FRONT OF THE CRANKSHAFT, AND THE THREE DOWELS, PN 75359, WERE NOT IN PLACE. THE BUSHING, WHICH IS PRESSED INTO THE CRANKSHAFT DURING ASSEMBLY, WAS LOOSE ENOUGH TO PERMIT REMOVAL BY HAND. THE DOWELS WERE FOUND IN THE ENGINE OIL SUMP AND WERE BENT AND DEFORMED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/21/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 812
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SALINA
Event State KANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 67401
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SALINA MUNI
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 750
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID SLN
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 56
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 951
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 N40NC
NTSB Number MKC82DA087
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-31P
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-31P
Aircraft Serial Number 31P-49
Certified Max Gross Weight 7800
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 24
Airframe Hours 1929
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES D. NELSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2141 CENTENNIAL
Aircraft Owner City SALINA
Aircraft Owner State KS
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 67401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES D. NELSON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2141 CENTENNIAL
Operator City SALINA
Operator State KS
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 67401
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) Executive/Corporate
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SALINA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 809
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DALLAS
Destination State TX
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 17
Runway Length 13330
Runway Width 300
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --