Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bonanza, Oregon 97623
Wednesday, April 23, 2003 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that while in cruise flight the engine made a loud sound followed by a partial loss of engine power. Shortly thereafter, smoke started coming in the cockpit and the engine lost complete power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to a county road. During the landing roll, the left wing collided with a power pole. The airplane spun around, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane subsequently nosed over. During the engine inspection, a large hole was found in the crankcase between the number 1 and 2 cylinders. The number 1 connecting rod bearing journal was deeply scored, blue in color and dry. Portions of the number 1 main bearing insert could be observed between the number 1 crank cheek and the number 1 main bearing saddle. The numbers 1 and 2 crank cheeks were blue in color and dry. The number 1 connecting rod was in pieces. The connecting rod cap had a portion of one bolt still present in the cap. The fracture area of the bolt was necked down in diameter and the bolt was blue in color. A matching portion of a bolt with the nut attached was recovered and noted that the fracture area was also necked down in diameter. The pilot reported that the maintenance logbooks had been destroyed in a hangar fire. The pilot also reported that the aircraft had not been maintained in accordance with an annual inspection for some time, as he had not been flying the aircraft since about 1997, when the engine was top overhauled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Separation of the connecting rod cap. Annual maintenance inspections which were disregarded by the owner/pilot was a factor.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/2003
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Bonanza
Event State OREGON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 97623
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude 420500N
Event Location Longitude 1211319W
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 263
Weather Observation Facility ID LMT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4092
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14367
NTSB Notification Source FAA Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Hillsboro, Oregon

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8159T
NTSB Number SEA03LA069
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 175B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17556859
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2187
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Samuel H. Dupuis
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wellington
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89444
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 --
Departure City Wellington
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 940
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LMT
Destination City Klamath Falls
Destination State OR
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 31 2003 6:27PM
User who most recently changed record STAM
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 --