Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Oswego County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Fulton, New York 13069
Saturday, August 16, 2008 15:40 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that he was level at 400 feet above ground level when he heard a "bang," the airplane began to vibrate, and the engine stopped. He lowered the nose for the airplane's best glide speed and initiated a forced landing to a nearby open field. While on final approach to the field the airplane collided with trees and then the ground. The crankshaft and connecting rod were forwarded to the Safety Board's Metallurgical Laboratory for further analysis. Examination of the crankshaft's ten bearing journals revealed surface finishes that were consistent with a turning operation but not with a grinding operation as specified in the overhaul manual. Examination of the engine assembly revealed that the crankshaft and the No. 3 engine cylinder connecting rod had failed. The examination revealed that the crankshaft failed in fatigue and initiated in machining marks in the rear radius of the No. 3 and 4 connecting rod bearing journals. An engine logbook entry indicated that the main and rod bearing journals had been "turned" and their diameter reduced by 0.010-inch in accordance with the Franklin overhaul manual. Journal diameters were measured and were consistent with 0.010-inch begin removed; however, the table in the overhaul manual specified a tolerance of 0.0010-inch and the dimensions indicated a tolerance of 0.0020-inch, which was contrary to the overhaul manual. The overhaul manual also recommends that the crankshafts be returned to the factory for grinding and re-nitriding. No logbook entries were located to verify that re-nitriding had been carried out.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to fatigue failure of the crankshaft and the No. 3 engine cylinder connecting rod as a result of improper machining of the engine crankshaft during engine overhaul by maintenance personnel.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/16/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1540 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Fulton |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 13069 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 431926N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762309W |
| Event Location Airport | Oswego County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FZY |
| 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 | 475 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 185 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FZY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 475 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| 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 | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 24 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 11 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27285 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 16 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 14 2010 11:31AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Rochester FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N31BF |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA280 |
| 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 | SOCATA |
| Aircraft Model | MS894A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11682 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2425 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 23 |
| Airframe Hours | 1599 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Fred Bullard JR. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Oswego |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 13126 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Oswego |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 13126 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | FZY |
| Departure City | Fulton |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1500 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | FZY |
| Destination City | Fulton |
| Destination State | NY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency descent/landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 10 2010 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35 |
| Runway Length | 5197 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |