Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sparta, Tennessee 38583
Thursday, March 3, 2005 16:15 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated the flight was cruising at 3,500 feet mean sea level when the engine began to run rough. Moments later, engine oil sprayed on the windscreen and the cockpit filled with smoke. Several hundred yards short of runway 4, the engine lost power completely, and the propeller stopped. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to avoid trees and landed in a field. The pilot stated when the nose wheel touched down, it sank into the soft ground, and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the airplane revealed the empennage was nearly separated aft of the baggage compartment, the fuselage was buckled aft of the firewall, and damage was observed on the engine crankcase. The post-accident examination of the engine revealed the timing reference plug was missing from the crankcase. The timing reference plug threads in the crankcase were not stripped. The crankshaft did not reveal any signs of movement or rotation, and the pistons, rings, and pins in all six cylinders revealed discoloration and mechanical damage.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Improper installation of the timing reference plug by other maintenance personnel, which resulted in oil starvation, and the loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/2005
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Sparta
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 38583
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 360322N
Event Location Longitude 0853150W
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 1553 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID KBNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.07
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KBNA 031553Z VRB04KT 10SM FEW120 07/M06 A301
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19115
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1942
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 FAA - Nashville FSDO - 03

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14449
NTSB Number ATL05TA055
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 T-41B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number R172-0208
Certified Max Gross Weight 2500
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2004 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 4144
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name State of Tennessee, Division of Forestry
Aircraft Owner Street Address State Hangar, Metro Airport
Aircraft Owner City Nashville
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37217
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KBNA
Departure City Nashville
Departure State TN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1544
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KSRB
Destination City Sparta
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Feb 22 2006 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
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 --