ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 356038
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| Date: | Tuesday 8 April 1997 |
| Time: | 16:30 LT |
| Type: |  Steen Skybolt |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N4TZ |
| MSN: | 003 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1992 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 285 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-A1D5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Smithfield, NC -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Walterboro, SC (RBW |
| (KJNX) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The engine failed and seized as the flight approached the airport for landing. During a forced landing in a field the aircraft nosed over. Post crash examination of the engine showed a counterweight retaining clip, washer, and pivot pin had separated allowing the counterweight to move around on the remaining pivot pin. The counterweight struck the No. 5 piston connecting rod causing it to fail and seize the engine. The counterweight retaining washer was found to have been ground and to not meet the manufacturers specified dimensions. Two pieces of the washer had separated. The engine had been taken by the owner to a community college aircraft maintenance school for overhaul. The engine was returned and installed on the aircraft 83 flight hours before failure. No logbook records were found to show the engine had been overhauled. Representatives of the aircraft maintenance school stated the work performed on the engine was a repair not an overhaul and that the original counterweight retaining washers and clips had been reused.
Probable Cause: Installation by a student mechanic of a counterweight retaining washer that did not meet engine manufacturers specifications resulting in partial separation of the counterweight, failure of the No.5 connecting rod adjacent to the counterweight, and seizure of the engine. Contributing to the accident was improper supervision of the student mechanic by aviation school personnel.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB MIA97LA123
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Mar-2024 18:25 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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