Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rhinebeck, New York 12572
Saturday, July 26, 2003 6:50 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was in cruise flight when the engine began to vibrate and lose power. The pilot not able to maintain altitude, and performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane was equipped with a Pratt and Whitney R1340 radial engine. Examination of the engine revealed that approximately 50 percent of the number eight cylinder head was separated from it's respective cylinder barrel. Review of maintenance records revealed that the engine had been operated for about 930 hours since it was overhauled and about 20 hours since it's most recent annual inspection. At the time of the annual inspection, a mechanic reported he examined the cylinders and did not detect any cracks.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to a failure of the number eight cylinder.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 650
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Rhinebeck
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 12572
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415537N
Event Location Longitude 0735446W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 653 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID POU
Elevation of weather observation facility 165
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.25
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 --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15004
NTSB Notification Source FAA EROC
NTSB Notification Date Jul 26 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 2 2004 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Teterboro

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N23820
NTSB Number NYC03LA168
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Air Tractor
Aircraft Model AT-301
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 301-0459
Certified Max Gross Weight 7860
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 8 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 6471
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Charles Webber
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Livingston
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 12541
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 WD8G
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1A1
Departure City Livingston
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2004 3:16PM
User who most recently changed record PEAR
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --