Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ashland Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Worthington, Kentucky 41183
Saturday, September 22, 2007 14:55 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot replaced the accident airplane’s vacuum pump on the day of the accident. During the airplane's flight to a nearby airport, the engine lost the majority of its oil. At the destination airport, the engine was examined for the leak. According to witness staements, the vacuum pump had been installed incorrectly. The discrepancy was corrected and the pilot added 4 quarts of oil to the engine and attempted to return to his home airport; however, the engine overheated during the initial phase of the flight and the pilot returned to the departing airport. He purchased more engine oil, servicing the engine to the full level. Although several people suggested that the pilot have the engine further examined, he declined saying that he had "Get-Home-Itis." Once again the pilot took off for his home airport, but the engine lost all power during the initial climb. The pilot ditched the airplane in a nearby river in a flat attitude, where it submerged. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the No. 4 engine piston had separated from the crankshaft. The pilot did not hold an airframe and powerplant certificate.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The separation of the engine's No. 4 piston from the crankshaft for unidentified reasons and the pilot's continued operation with known equipment deficiencies.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/22/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1455 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Worthington |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 41183 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 383316N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0824417W |
| Event Location Airport | Ashland Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DWU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 2 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 760 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1451 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HTS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 828 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 200 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 5 |
| 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 | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24831 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 22 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 23 2008 1:07PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Louisville FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N26442 |
| NTSB Number | MIA07LA155 |
| 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 | GRUMMAN |
| Aircraft Model | AA-5A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA5A-0592 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1522 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | William G. Steven |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Grayson |
| Aircraft Owner State | KY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 41143 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | William G. Steven |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Grayson |
| Operator State | KY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 41143 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | DWU |
| Departure City | Worthington |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1453 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | M20 |
| Destination City | Leitchfield |
| Destination State | KY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Climb - to cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 22 2008 8:41PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |