Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Brandon, Mississippi 39047
Sunday, September 5, 2004 14:32 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and noted the oil capacity was full (8 quarts). Approximately 2 hours into the flight while flying at 10,500 feet, the engine began running rough. He advised air traffic control (ATC), and attempts to correct the rough running engine were unsuccessful. The flight continued and shortly afterwards, the engine developed a severe roughness and he then heard a bang with smoke entering the cockpit. He declared "mayday" with ATC, and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Unable to land there, he executed a forced landing on a nearby highway and collided with a vehicle during the landing roll-out. The No. 3 cylinder was found separated from the crankcase, and all cylinder studs and/or thru-bolts exhibited various forms of fatigue. The No. 3 cylinder connecting rod bolts which were fractured exhibited evidence of either bending or shear overstress. The No. 2 cylinder connecting rod bearing was found welded to the crankpin, and a piece of aluminum lined bearing material was found inside the oil passage of the No. 2 cylinder crankpin journal. Fretting was noted at the No. 3 cylinder contact area, and also at the split-line surface of the right crankcase half at the main bearing locations. The fretting was the greatest at the cylinder contact area between studs Nos. 1 and 2, and also at the split line surface on the right crankcase half at the No. 3 main bearing location. The engine had accumulated 1,390 hours since major overhaul and approximately 873 hours since the No. 3 cylinder was removed and reinstalled.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of all studs and/or thru-bolts of the No. 3 cylinder for undetermined reasons causing separation of the cylinder. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain encountered by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/5/2004
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1432
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Brandon
Event State MISSISSIPPI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 39047
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 322126N
Event Location Longitude 0900047W
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 93
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KJAN
Elevation of weather observation facility 346
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.93
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18136
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Sep 5 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1907
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 13 2005 12:54PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Jackson, Mississippi

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9708M
NTSB Number MIA04LA127
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 670268
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 4020.7
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name David Tulis
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1892 Mount Royal Drive
Aircraft Owner City Atlanta
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30329
Operator is an individual? Yes
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 KPDK
Departure City Atlanta
Departure State GA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1310
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KDTN
Destination City Shreveport
Destination State LA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2005 9:26AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
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 --