Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dublin, Georgia 31021
Sunday, September 19, 2010 13:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was in cruise flight at 7,000 feet mean sea level, when the engine began to run rough and the oil pressure decreased. The pilot was unable to fly the airplane to the nearest airport and performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane struck a ditch and came to rest upright, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage. An annual inspection was completed on the airplane about 5 months, or 25 flight hours, prior to the accident; however, the pilot had recently changed the engine oil himself. Initial examination of the engine revealed that the oil drain tube remained attached to the oil quick-release drain plug, and oil was leaking down the side of the oil drain tube likely as a result of the quick-release oil drain plug not being properly secured. A subsequent teardown examination of the engine revealed that the No. 5 connecting rod failed due to lack of lubrication.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to properly secure the oil drain plug after changing the engine oil, which resulted in oil starvation and an engine failure during cruise flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1325
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Dublin
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 31021
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 323352N
Event Location Longitude 0825907W
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 1336 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID DBN
Elevation of weather observation facility 309
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
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) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
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) 30.09
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 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28230
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 11 2011 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2448T
NTSB Number ERA10LA487
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NAVION
Aircraft Model NAVION G
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number NAV-4-2448
Certified Max Gross Weight 3315
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 8 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 3357
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN B GORDON
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32025-0600
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name JOHN B GORDON
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City LAKE CITY
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32025-0600
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 EVV
Departure City Evansville
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1025
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 15FL
Destination City Lake City
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 11 2011 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
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 --