Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Philip Billard Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Topeka, Kansas 66616
Monday, April 9, 2007 13:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, shortly after departing runway 18 she heard what "sounded like a loud backfire, a single bang," and then the engine lost power. The pilot selected a nearby field and performed a forced landing. During the landing the nose gear collapsed resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft gear separated from the crankshaft and was loose inside the accessory case. The upper portions of five of the six screws used to secure the gear to the crankshaft were found in the accessory case. Metallurgical examination of the fracture surface revealed signatures consistent with fatigue fractures. One screw was sectioned and tested for hardness with the results of 29, 30, 30, and 31 Rockwell C Harness (HRC). According to TCM, the drawing specifies an H5 fastener with a hardness requirement of 32 through 37 HRC. In addition, the head of the screw had a diameter of .40 inches or less. The TCM drawing specifies a diameter of .44 inches. According to TCM, this could have resulted in inadequate torque for this installation. An examination of the airplane flight controls and engine controls revealed no anomalies.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The use of unapproved bolts to mount the crankshaft and gear together, causing fatigue and failure of those mounting bolts, resulting in the subsequent loss of engine power. Factors contributing to the accident were the separation of the crankshaft gear, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/9/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Topeka |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 66616 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 385706N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0953948W |
| Event Location Airport | PHILIP BILLARD MUNI |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | TOP |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 881 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KTOP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 881 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 4600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 1 |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 22297 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-Central Region |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 9 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 27 2007 11:30AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Witchita FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N460B |
| NTSB Number | DEN07LA083 |
| 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 | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | 35 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | D-1477 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4275.8 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | On File |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | Kansas City |
| Aircraft Owner State | MO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 64151 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | On File |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | On File |
| Operator City | Kansas City |
| Operator State | MO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | TOP |
| Departure City | Topeka |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MKC |
| Destination City | KANSAS CITY |
| Destination State | MO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb - to cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 7 2007 10:37AM |
| User who most recently changed record | BOWL |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 4331 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |