Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ladd Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
Wednesday, July 6, 2011 10:30 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After the airplane sustained a complete loss of engine power during initial climb, the pilot performed an off-airport landing. Postaccident examination revealed that three teeth in the torque sensor spur gear separated after four of the five torque sensor mounting bolts became loose. The loose bolts caused the torque sensor housing to move radially away from the gear case, causing the teeth to overload and separate. Subsequently, the engine’s fuel pump and fuel control were no longer driven by the gears in the gear train, which were normally driven by the torque sensor spur gear, thus the engine was starved of fuel. Metallurgical examination showed that the bolts became loose because a bolt that was undersized and of the incorrect configuration had been installed. A maintenance record showed that the engine had previously been disassembled due to a torque sensor failure and an overhauled torque sensor had been reinstalled.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The use of an incorrect mounting bolt by maintenance persons to attach the engine torque sensor, which resulted in an internal failure of the torque sensor and subsequent loss of engine power due to fuel starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/6/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1030 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Pine Bluff |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 71601 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340814N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0915218W |
| Event Location Airport | Ladd Airstrip |
| 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 | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 192 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 305 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KPBF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 206 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.01 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KPBF 061753Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM CLR 34/21 A2999 RMK |
| 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) | 30839 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Direct call to NTSB from the O |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 17 2012 4:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bakd |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3101S |
| NTSB Number | CEN11LA460 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AYRES |
| Aircraft Model | S2R600 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | G6 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | G6-106 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 6000 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 1 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 21 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 7467 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Swan Lake Flying Service, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 15121 S Highway 88 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Altheimer |
| Aircraft Owner State | AR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 72004-8573 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Swan Lake Flying Service, Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 15121 S Highway 88 |
| Operator City | Altheimer |
| Operator State | AR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 72004-8573 |
| Operator Code | SL6G |
| 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 | SL6G449W |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Pine Bluff |
| Departure State | AR |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Pine Bluff |
| Destination State | AR |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 9 2012 5:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 09 |
| Runway Length | 3900 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |