Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fargo, North Dakota 58102
Saturday, February 26, 2005 14:03 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The aircraft experienced a total loss of engine power during initial climb after takeoff. The accident flight was the first flight after the oil filter had been replaced. The pilot reported that the engine began losing power about two miles south of the departure airport. He stated that the engine seized during a turn back toward the airport. He reported that the airplane did not have enough altitude remaining to glide to a runway and that he performed a downwind landing to a nearby road because there was "no place to go into the wind, even knowing I had a 29 [knot] tailwind." The pilot reported that the airplane impacted a street light and vehicle during the forced landing to a residential area. The pilot estimated that less than 30-seconds transpired between the loss of engine power and the impact with terrain. Post accident inspection of the engine revealed that the number four connecting rod had separated and protruded through the top of the engine case. An oil film covered the oil filter, the accessory case below the oil filter, and the bottom of the fuselage. The oil system was pressurized and a leak was noted around the base of the oil filter canister. Further inspection revealed that the oil filter canister bolt was not adequately torqued and its retaining safety-wire was incorrectly installed. Additionally, the canister base gasket was incorrectly installed which allowed oil to leak out from the canister base. No leaks were noted after the gasket was repositioned and the canister was reinstalled. The pilot reported that the oil-pressure was "in green" during an engine run-up check completed prior to takeoff. Several individuals reported there was an approximately 4-foot diameter oil spill in the ramp area used by the accident airplane for start-up and pre-takeoff operations.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The mechanic's improper installation of the oil filter canister base gasket, which resulted in an oil leak and the separation of the connecting rod due to oil starvation. Factors to the accident were the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing, the tailwind condition, the light pole, and the vehicle.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 2/26/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1403 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Fargo |
| Event State | NORTH DAKOTA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 58102 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 2 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 465514N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0964857W |
| 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 | 0.75 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 900 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1406 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FAR |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 902 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 6 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 23 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 30 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.97 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -839 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17695 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Feb 26 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1438 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 8 2005 12:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Federal Aviation Administration - Fargo FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1623H |
| NTSB Number | CHI05CA074 |
| 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 | 177RG |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 177RG0796 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2800 |
| 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 | Sep 10 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 2.8 |
| Airframe Hours | 2841.9 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Trip Air, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4214 Old Course Drive |
| Aircraft Owner City | Charlotte |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 28277 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | James George III |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3040 10th Street, North #209 |
| Operator City | Fargo |
| Operator State | ND |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 58102 |
| 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) | Positioning |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | FAR |
| Departure City | Fargo |
| Departure State | ND |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1400 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FES |
| Destination City | Festus |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 28 2005 5:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| 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 | -- |