ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39767
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Sunday 14 August 1994 |
| Time: | 10:27 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32-260 |
| Owner/operator: | Lake Clark Air, Inc. |
| Registration: | N4839S |
| MSN: | 32-1268 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4702 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-E4B5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 4 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Kenai, AK -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Unknown |
| Departure airport: | Merrill Field, AK (MRI) |
| Port Alsworth, AK | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE AIRPLANE WAS ON A PART 135 ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT, WHEN PHYSICAL SEPARATION OF THE NO. 3 CYLINDER AND PISTON OCCURRED AND AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE ENSUED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE CRASH LANDED ON TERRAIN NEAR THE SHORELINE OF A BODY OF WATER. ONE OF THE FOUR OCCUPANTS SURVIVED THE CRASH, BUT THE SURVIVING PASSENGER COULD NOT RECALL EVENTS THAT LED TO THE ACCIDENT. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE #3 AND #4 CYLINDER ASSEMBLIES WERE INSTALLED ABOUT 220 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THIS MAINTENANCE WAS PERFORMED WITHOUT REMOVING THE ENGINE FROM THE AIRPLANE. NO PROBLEM WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE WAS RECORDED SUBSEQUENT TO THE CYLINDER CHANGE. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FATIGUE CRACKS IN THE CASE UNDER THE NO. 3 CYLINDER. MAGNIFIED INSPECTION OF THE CASE REVEALED WEAR AND DEFORMATION DAMAGE, WHERE THE HOLDING FLANGE AND INNER SKIRT OF THE CYLINDER WOULD NORMALLY BE POSITIONED, WHICH WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE CYLINDER MOVING IN RELATION TO THE CASE. ALSO, MECHANICAL DAMAGE WAS EVIDENT ON THE THREADS OF THE STUDS AND BOTH THROUGH-BOLTS.
Probable Cause: INADEQUATE ENGINE MAINTENANCE AND/OR INSPECTION, AND FATIGUE CRACKING OF THE ENGINE CASE, WHICH RESULTED IN EVENTUAL DAMAGE TO THE #3 CYLINDER STUDS/ENGINE THROUGH-BOLTS, SUBSEQUENT SEPARATION OF THE #3 CYLINDER AND PISTON, AND AN IN-FLIGHT FIRE.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC94FA106
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:23 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Apr-2024 05:19 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation