Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Purdue University Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Lafayette, Indiana 47906
Thursday, November 1, 2007 17:14 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet when the engine began to run roughly. The pilot verified both magnetos were functioning properly, switched fuel tanks, and manipulated the throttle without any improvement in engine operation. He informed air traffic control of the loss of engine power and was subsequently cleared to land at an airport about 8 nm north of his position. The engine continued to run roughly as he maneuvered for the airport. The airplane impacted rising terrain that preceded the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest within 100 feet of the threshold. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing and engine firewall. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed during the landing. The left main landing gear remained fully extended. Examination of the engine revealed that the number 3 cylinder had separated from the engine case. Further examination showed that the number 3 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod cap, two rod bolts, and two nuts were found separated inside the engine case. One of the rod bolts was bent and fractured approximately mid-span. One-half of this bolt remained with the rod cap. The bolt's fracture surface exhibited a cup/cone shape, consistent with an overload failure. The threaded region of this bolt was undamaged. One of the nuts had undamaged threads. The first three threads adjacent to the flat side of the remaining nut were damaged. The remaining rod bolt was intact, but the three threads from the end were damaged consistent with the damage noted on the second nut. The last engine overhaul was completed on November 19, 1972. The engine had accumulated 820 hours since that overhaul.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The improper installation of the connecting rod bolts during major overhaul, which resulted in the separation of the connecting rod from the crankshaft in flight. Contributing to the accident was the rising terrain encountered during touchdown and the subsequent landing gear collapse.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/1/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1714 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Lafayette |
| Event State | INDIANA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 47906 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 402444N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0865613W |
| Event Location Airport | Purdue University Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | LAF |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.02 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 606 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1654 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 606 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| 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) | 12 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 360 |
| 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) | 30.25 |
| 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) | 22890 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 16 2007 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 | Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5912Q |
| NTSB Number | CHI08CA035 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 821 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2575 |
| 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 | May 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 1794.4 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | G & W Aviation, LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 211 Longwood Lane |
| Aircraft Owner City | Clarksville |
| Aircraft Owner State | TN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 37043 |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PPO |
| Departure City | La Porte |
| Departure State | IN |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1600 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | M91 |
| Destination City | Springfield |
| Destination State | TN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 4 2008 10:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | DINC |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 5 |
| Runway Length | 4225 |
| Runway Width | 1288 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |