Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ozark Franklin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ozark, Arkansas 72949
Friday, May 25, 2012 15:36 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he noticed a change in engine sound and that he subsequently scanned the engine gauges, which were all within normal operating parameters. Shortly after, the engine rpm began to drop, the pilot heard a “pop” or “bang,” and the propeller stopped rotating. The pilot attempted to glide the airplane to an alternate airport, but the airplane overshot the runway. The pilot then attempted to land on a nearby road, and the left wing of the airplane struck the ground during the maneuver.
Oil streaking was observed on the airplane’s exterior. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that no oil was not present in the engine. During disassembly of the engine, the No. 4 connecting rod cap was found fractured, and pieces of the cap were found within the crankcase. Evidence indicated that the No. 4 connecting rod failed due to frictional heating and impact associated with a bearing failure. The Nos. 1 to 3 connecting rods and connecting rod bolts showed varying degrees of heat discoloration, and the evidence of heating in the Nos. 2 and 4 connecting rods indicated that the No. 4 bearing failure was due to lack of oil in the connecting rod bearings. The cause of the oil starvation could not be determined.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of a connecting rod due to oil starvation.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/25/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1536 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ozark |
| Event State | ARKANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 72949 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 353039N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0935022W |
| Event Location Airport | Ozark Franklin County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 7M5 |
| 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 | 648 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FSM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 469 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 28 |
| 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) | 33 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 18 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 170 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 16 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| 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) | 32638 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 6 2014 1:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2159D |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA326 |
| 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 | MOONEY |
| Aircraft Model | M20J |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-0547 |
| 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 | 4 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 11 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4865 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | TUTTLE & ASSOCIATES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | TULSA |
| Aircraft Owner State | OK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 74146-6401 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Jeffrey A. Tuttle |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | TULSA |
| Operator State | OK |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 74146-6401 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | TUL |
| Departure City | Tulsa |
| Departure State | OK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | -- |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | UTA |
| Destination City | Tunica |
| Destination State | MS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 6 2014 1:17PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 22 |
| Runway Length | 3302 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |