Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Slaton, Texas 79364
Friday, March 5, 2010 16:30 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
While at 5,500 feet mean sea level, the pilot heard a loud explosion and the left front engine cowling blew open. Shortly thereafter the engine stopped producing power and the pilot executed a forced landing to a flat plowed field. The No. 2 cylinder was found separated from the engine crankcase. A postaccident engine teardown examination revealed that there had been an insufficient clamping force between the crankcase halves and between each cylinder and the crankcase. In particular, the No. 2 crankcase cylinder deck exhibited signatures consistent with the No. 2 cylinder vibrating back and forth before it exited the engine case. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated approximately 1,072 hours since major overhaul and 641 hours since a top overhaul.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power due to the insufficient clamping force between the two crankcase halves and each cylinder to the crankcase.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/5/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1630 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Slaton |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79364 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 332926N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1013515W |
| 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 | 1553 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LBB |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3282 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 16 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 7000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| 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) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 230 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KLBB 052153Z 23006KT 10SM FEW070 21/02 A2989 |
| 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 | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27854 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FTW, FAA Regional Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 26 2010 2:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2036Y |
| NTSB Number | CEN10LA140 |
| 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 | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | A36 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | E-1366 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3800 |
| 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 | Aug 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 77 |
| Airframe Hours | 5834 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | GALE DONALD H |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 3717 NORTHWEST PKWY |
| Aircraft Owner City | DALLAS |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75225-3701 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | GALE DONALD H |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 3717 NORTHWEST PKWY |
| Operator City | DALLAS |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75225-3701 |
| 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 | LBB |
| Departure City | Lubbock |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1620 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RBD |
| Destination City | Dallas |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 15 2010 5:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lebt |
| 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 | -- |