Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Quincy, Washington 98848
Wednesday, March 17, 1993 16:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO HIS AGRICULTURAL LANDING STRIP AFTER APPLYING DRY FERTILIZER ON A FIELD. ABOUT A MILE FROM THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. WITHIN A HALF MILE OF THE AIRPORT, THE ENGINE ROUGHNESS WORSENED TO THE POINT OF TOTAL FAILURE. THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NO LONGER MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, SO THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING IN AN ALFALFA FIELD ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED INTO A SNOWDRIFT AND NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER SEVEN CYLINDER HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE CRANKCASE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ENCOUNTERED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER AN ENGINE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY HAD SEPARATED. FACTORS INCLUDE A SNOWBANK.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/17/1993
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1610
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City QUINCY
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98848
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
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 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Not Reported
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 67
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1705
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48337
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7503L
NTSB Number SEA93LA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SCHWEIZER
Aircraft Model G-164B-600
Aircraft Series Identifier G-164B-600
Aircraft Serial Number 826B
Certified Max Gross Weight 5200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 23 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 551
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MID CONTINENT AIR SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. DRAWER L
Aircraft Owner City HAYTI
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63851
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STEPHANS FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P. O. BOX 37
Operator City QUINCY
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98848
Operator Code
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 --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1555
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --