Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Harnett Regional Jetport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Erwin, North Carolina 28339
Saturday, May 12, 2012 12:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
After what he described as an uneventful engine run-up, the pilot took off from the 5,000-foot-long runway. The pilot stated that when the airplane reached an altitude of about 50 feet, he retracted the landing gear; the engine lost partial power. The airplane yawed to the left and touched down again, impacting a thicket. According to a witness who observed the takeoff, the engine power never decreased until the engine stopped suddenly upon impacting the ground.
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 4 cylinder exhaust valve springs had fractured in fatigue. Detailed examination of the springs showed that the fatigue cracking likely originated from one or more of the iron oxide (rust) pits present on the surface of the springs. The springs had been installed in the engine about 1 year before the accident flight. According to the mechanic who installed the springs, he had retrieved them from a similar engine’s cylinder that was removed from another airplane; there was no documentation of the springs’ service history or serviceability.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff due to fatigue-fractured exhaust valve springs. Contributing to the accident was the mechanic’s decision to install exhaust valve springs with an unknown service history in the engine’s No. 4 cylinder.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/12/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1245 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Erwin |
| Event State | NORTH CAROLINA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 28339 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 352248N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0784356W |
| Event Location Airport | Harnett Regional Jetport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HRJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 202 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1255 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HRJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 202 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| 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) | 30.34 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KHRJ 121655Z AUTO 13005KT 10SM CLR 23/04 A3034 RMK |
| 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 | 5 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 31797 |
| 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 | Aug 26 2013 3:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2WZ |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA336 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BEECH |
| Aircraft Model | A36TC |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | EA-174 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3650 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| 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 | Feb 1 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 35 |
| Airframe Hours | 5158 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | L & M TRUCKING LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6186 BENSON HARDEE RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | BENSON |
| Aircraft Owner State | NC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 27504-6143 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | L & M TRUCKING LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 6186 BENSON HARDEE RD |
| Operator City | BENSON |
| Operator State | NC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 27504-6143 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | HRJ |
| Departure City | Erwin |
| Departure State | NC |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1245 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | UDG |
| Destination City | Darlington |
| Destination State | SC |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2013 3:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 5000 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |