Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peoria, Illinois 61607
Thursday, December 14, 2006 8:04 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane experienced a loss of engine power and an in-flight fire during cruise flight, and was subsequently destroyed by fire after a forced landing in a field. The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine started "missing." The pilot put the mixture to full rich, switched fuel tanks, and adjusted the propeller and throttle, but the engine continued to run rough. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field with the windshield 60 percent covered with oil and with smoke coming into the cockpit. The engine teardown inspection revealed that the #5 intake and exhaust valve heads were missing. The intake and exhaust valve stems and the exhaust valve guide were removed from the cylinder for further examination at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory. The fracture surface of the exhaust valve stem (Part Number: SA643767P005 C FAA-PMA) was consistent with a brittle fracture mechanism such as fatigue. The maximum clearance of the exhaust valve guide (difference between the inner diameter of the valve guide and out diameter of the valve stem) was measured as 0.019 inch. According to the 1989 Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) overhaul manual for the IO-520 engine, the maximum serviceable limit for exhaust valve guide clearance is 0.006 inch. Maintenance records indicated that an oil analysis taken on June 23, 2004, stated the following: "Note Extreme Nickel Concentration. High Concentration of Nickel is Caused By Valve Guide Wear. Contact Engine Manufacturer's Service Rep. Resample in 25 Hours." The aircraft owner reported that no maintenance was performed on the engine in regards to the oil analysis. The oil sample was taken at 663 hours since Time Since Overhaul (TSO). The engine failure occurred about 2.5 years later and had accumulated about an additional 300 hours of operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the exhaust valve as a result of maintenance not performed by the aircraft owner, and the unsuitable terrain encountered during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/14/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 804
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Peoria
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61607
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400951N
Event Location Longitude 0894135W
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 754 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID PIA
Elevation of weather observation facility 660
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22964
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 14 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office FAA-Springfield FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30799
NTSB Number CHI07LA038
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground and In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model B36TC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number EA 469
Certified Max Gross Weight 3650
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gary Newt
Aircraft Owner Street Address 17840 US Hwy 20W
Aircraft Owner City East Dubuque
Aircraft Owner State IA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61025
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DBQ
Departure City Dubuque
Departure State IA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ENL
Destination City Centralia
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2008 3:48PM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --