Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Toulin, Illinois 61483
Wednesday, July 21, 2010 13:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he had made his last agricultural spray run. The airplane was about 200 feet above ground level when one of the engine's cylinders cracked resulting in oil covering the windshield. The pilot flew to a satellite airstrip about 5 miles away. The pilot reported that the airstrip was short and his visibility was reduced due to the oil-covered windshield. The airplane overran the runway and nosed over when it collided with a ditch. A postaccident inspection of the airplane revealed that the number two cylinder of the engine had a crack located near the front spark plug and stretching to the rear spark plug. The Federal Aviation Administration had previously issued an Airworthiness Directive (AD) addressing the accident engine model. The AD required initial and repetitive visual and florescent penetration inspections of cylinders for cracking. This document was prompted by reports of cylinder head cracking which can result in the loss of engine power. The airplaneā€™s logbooks indicated that 18 hours of time in service had elapsed since the last visual inspection of the cylinder per the AD requirements.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A partial loss of engine power as a result of a cracked cylinder and the reduced visibility due to the oil-covered windshield.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/2010
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Toulin
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 61483
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 28008
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 11 2011 10:01AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N45297
NTSB Number CEN10LA420
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR TRACTOR INC
Aircraft Model AT-401
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 401-0760
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WOODLEY CRAIG S
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8158 2700 NORTH
Aircraft Owner City WALNUT
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 61376
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Robert N. Morgan
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address On File
Operator City Star City
Operator State AR
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 71667
Operator Code W3GG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Walnut
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Walnut
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 3 2011 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --