Incident Overview
A routine business flight progressed normally until the aircraft was approaching Bentonville, Arkansas. The pilot-in-command reported that the engine ran rough for a very brief period and then quit. Emergency procedures were conducted, but a restart was impossible.
Fuel and Inspection Details
Only 1.5 hours of flight had elapsed since the last refueling. The aircraft had undergone an inspection six months prior to the incident.
Post-Incident Examination
An inspection of the aircraft revealed that the left magneto drive bearing had seized and the drive gear had sheared, completely disabling the magneto. The other magneto had failed to function properly. Subsequent testing of the other magneto showed intermittent operation and arcing of the points.