Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sedona, Arizona 86336
Saturday, October 2, 2004 10:25 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The engine lost partial power during flight, and the airplane collided with a vehicle during a forced landing on a road. The pilot was performing a local for hire sightseeing flight for two passengers. Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, a loud "popping" noise was heard coming from the engine. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and force landed on a city street. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a car on the road. Post accident examination of the engine revealed that the number 7 cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm had failed in fatigue. The surface fracture initiation marks were consistent with a grinding operation during manufacture. The grinding operation is performed to remove any flash remaining at the mold parting line, after the casting operation, and is normally carried out by holding the part by hand and guiding it on a large grinding wheel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the number 7 cylinder exhaust rocker arm as a result of a grinding operation during manufacture.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/2/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1025
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Sedona
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86336
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 345108N
Event Location Longitude 1114744W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 69
Weather Observation Facility ID PRC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5045
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.27
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) 19207
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 2 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Feb 28 2006 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-SDL-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43064
NTSB Number LAX05LA002
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 Classic Aircraft Corp
Aircraft Model WACO YMF
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number FS-062
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 2985
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Dakota Territory Tours
Aircraft Owner Street Address 770 Sunshine Lane
Aircraft Owner City Sedona
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86336
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Solid Edge Aviation dba Red Rock Biplane Tours
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1967 Bonita Circle
Operator City Cottonwood
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 86326
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SEZ
Departure City Sedona
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Dec 1 2005 6:38PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --