Accident Overview
On October 1, 2010, at 2100 central daylight time, a Maule MXT-7-180-A (registration N152HS) sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The accident occurred near Magnolia, Arkansas. The private pilot and a passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Henderson State University (HSU) of Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight departed Monroe Regional Airport (MLU), Monroe, Louisiana, around 2030, and was destined for Texarkana Regional Airport (TXK), Texarkana, Arkansas. The cross-country flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as part of HSU's commercial pilot curriculum.
Narrative
According to the pilot, while cruising at 2,500 feet about 15 miles south of Magnolia Municipal Airport (AGO), he heard a knocking sound from the engine. He immediately headed toward AGO, declared an emergency, and noted that the oil pressure gauge read zero and the oil temperature gauge was high. When the airplane was approximately 5 miles south of the airport at an altitude of 1,700 feet, the engine seized. The pilot spotted a small clearing and landed on a private horse farm. He reported that the night was very dark with no visible moon, making terrain difficult to see, and the airplane subsequently collided with corral fencing before coming to a full stop.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector conducted an on-scene examination of the airplane. The examination revealed that the nosegear had collapsed and was pushed aft, and the top of the fuselage center section was damaged. The firewall, left horizontal stabilizer, and elevator sustained substantial damage. A large amount of oil was observed on the underside of the engine and the belly of the airplane.
Further examination of the engine found a large hole in the top of the crankcase and the oil drain line for the No. 4 cylinder was not connected. A review of the engine logbook showed that the No. 2 cylinder had been removed on the day of the accident, a procedure that would have required disconnecting the No. 4 cylinder oil drain line. When the cylinder was reinstalled, the oil drain line should have been reconnected and torqued according to the manufacturer's maintenance manual.
Maintenance History
In a written statement, the mechanic who replaced the No. 2 cylinder said that after replacement, he performed an engine run and checked for leaks, finding none. He then reinstalled the cowling, completed the 100-hour inspection paperwork, and returned the airplane to service. The mechanic stated that all work followed the Maule inspection guide, the Lycoming direct drive overhaul manual, and used a 4,313-lb torque wrench.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land. His last FAA first-class medical was issued on August 20, 2007. He reported a total flight time of 128 hours, with 34 hours in the Maule.