Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mineral Wells Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Milsap, Texas 76066
Friday, December 24, 2010 14:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was climbing through about 9,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when the pilot noticed that the engine was not producing full power and that the engine oil pressure had dropped. The pilot declared an emergency and asked an air traffic controller for a descent and vectors for an instrument approach to a nearby airport. While descending through about 3,000 feet msl in instrument meteorological conditions, the “engine quit.” The airplane descended out of the clouds about 500 feet above ground level, the pilot made an engine-out landing in an open field, and the nose gear collapsed. A review of the airplane’s maintenance documents showed that the engine had recently been partially removed during replacement of the starter adapter. According to the airplane’s maintenance logbooks, the airplane was inspected after this maintenance activity, and a subsequent ground run of the engine was satisfactory, with no leaks noted. Further, the pilot reported that after the maintenance was completed, he flew the airplane twice and had no leaks and no problems. A postaccident teardown examination of the engine revealed a breach in the crankcase and several areas inside the engine that exhibited lubrication distress, thermal distress, and mechanical damage. The examination revealed no other preincident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the in-flight loss of engine oil could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power in flight due to a loss of engine oil for reasons that could not be determined during a postaccident teardown examination of the engine.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Incident |
| Event Date | 12/24/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1440 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Milsap |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76066 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 324213N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0975924W |
| Event Location Airport | Mineral Wells Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MWL |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 6 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 974 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2053 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 315 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MWL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 974 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 6 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1300 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 6 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 320 |
| 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) | 30.13 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KMWL 242053z AUTO 35011KT 10SM SCT008 BKN013 OVC02 |
| 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) | 30766 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Fort Worth FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 26 2012 1:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N921DZ |
| NTSB Number | CEN11IA146 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Minor |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | COLUMBIA |
| Aircraft Model | LC41 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 550FG |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 41695 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 2 |
| 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 | Feb 16 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 78 |
| Airframe Hours | 458 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | John Erwin Christie |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hudson Oaks |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76087 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | John Erwin Christie |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Hudson Oaks |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76087 |
| 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 | 50F |
| Departure City | Cresson |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1415 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | DVT |
| Destination City | Phoenix |
| Destination State | AZ |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 11 2012 9:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 31 |
| Runway Length | 5996 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |