Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Memphis, Tennessee 37501
Tuesady, August 20, 2002 6:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight, the airplane sustained a contained in-flight right engine failure due to a fatigue failure of the propeller shaft coupling. At a cruise altitude of 9,000 feet approximately 60 miles east of his destination, the pilot heard a "bang." The engine RPM and engine temperature gauges indicated a failure of the right engine. The pilot secured the right engine, declared an emergency to air traffic control, and landed uneventfully. Examination of the propeller shaft coupling revealed a fracture that was caused by a fatigue crack that emanated from the corner radius of a lubrication slot where the corner radius converges with the root of an inner spline. At the time of the engine failure, the engine had accumulated 6,010.2 total hours since overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the loss of right engine power as a result of a fatigue failure of the propeller shaft coupling.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 8/20/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 640
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Memphis
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37501
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 350232N
Event Location Longitude 0895836W
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Dawn
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 15487
NTSB Notification Source Mitsubishi Aircraft
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Southwest Region; ASW-150

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N610CA
NTSB Number FTW03IA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage None
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mitsubishi
Aircraft Model MU-2B-60
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 7455A
Certified Max Gross Weight 11575
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 3
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Bankair Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2406 Edmund Rd
Aircraft Owner City West Columbia
Aircraft Owner State SC
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 29170
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 BKAA
Owner has at least one certificate --
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ATL
Departure City Atlanta
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 640
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MEM
Destination City Memphis
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise - normal
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 25 2004 5:28PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --