Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Lake Charles Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lake Charles, Louisiana 70606
Tuesady, December 23, 2003 15:00 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The single-engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. The 1,200-hour pilot was flying at 1,500 msl, when he noticed "a gradual decrease in engine power." He switched the fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, applied carburetor heat, and checked the primer. The primary engine instruments and "all indicated normal operation." The pilot "pumped the throttle, which appeared to make a positive difference." Subsequently, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power, and the pilot initiated a forced landing to a saturated field. Upon touchdown, the nose wheel sunk into the mud. the airplane nosed over, and came to rest inverted. According to records provided by the FAA, the engine was last overhauled on April 20, 2003, and accumulated 304.2 hours since the overhaul. The engine total time was 6,214.2 hours since new. An examination and teardown of the engine revealed a catastrophic engine failure. During the examination, a large hole in the engine case was present under the #2 cylinder, and several small breaks were present on the top left of the case near the #2 and #4 cylinders. The #1 cylinder spark plug seat was cracked and showed evidence of impact damage was noted. A circular impression, corresponding to the end of the #1piston rod, was observed on the inside of the #1 spark plug seat. The #1 piston head was found totally disintegrated. Fragments of metal were found throughout the case. Exhaust and intake valves did not appear to be damaged.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The disintegration of the piston, which resulted in the catastrophic failure of the engine. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/23/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1500 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Lake Charles |
| Event State | LOUISIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 70606 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 300703N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0931324W |
| Event Location Airport | Lake Charles Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LCH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 10 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 180 |
| Airport Elevation | 15 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1453 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LCH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 15 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2700 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Overcast |
| 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) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 340 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.03 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -319 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15887 |
| NTSB Notification Source | BTR FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 24 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 830 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 29 2004 7:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baton Rouge, Louisiana |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N111TK |
| NTSB Number | FTW04LA063 |
| 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 | 172K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | L-33860-270 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Dec 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 15000 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Betty R. Phillips |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1802 31st Ave |
| Aircraft Owner City | Gulfport |
| Aircraft Owner State | MS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 39501 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Emerald Sky Powers |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 233 Gulfside Street |
| Operator City | Waveland |
| Operator State | MS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 39576 |
| 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 | HSA |
| Departure City | Stennis Airport |
| Departure State | MS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1430 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | HUM |
| Destination City | Houma -Terrebon |
| Destination State | LA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | Yes |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 1 2004 7:32AM |
| User who most recently changed record | CASH |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |