History
On October 8, 2011, at about 1450 eastern daylight time, a Luscombe 8A, registration N41907, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power near Dixie, Georgia. The pilot received serious injuries and the passenger was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Thomasville Regional Airport (TVI), Thomasville, Georgia, earlier that day at about 1420.
The pilot reported that he and his passenger had departed from Flying Harness Farms Airport (37FL), Bell, Florida, at about 0830 that Saturday for the TVI fly-in. The flight was unremarkable. He checked the weather, noted unfavorable conditions developing, and decided to depart TVI early. The planned return flight to 37FL departed around 1420. About 20 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 1500 feet above ground level (agl), the pilot observed the engine oil temperature rising above normal. When it passed 200 degrees, he checked the onboard GPS for the nearest airport and selected a direct course to Jefferson Landing Airport (74FL), Monticello, Florida, about 15 miles away. The pilot reduced engine power to control the rising temperature, but it continued to increase, reaching 240 degrees. He told his passenger they might have to perform a forced landing. About 4 miles from 74FL, the engine began knocking, increasing in intensity until it "blew up." A white cloud of smoke emerged from the engine cowling into the cockpit, and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot switched the magnetos off and turned the cockpit fuel selector valve to the off position. The airplane was at about 1000 feet agl when the engine failed. He maneuvered toward an open field below, but the airplane had too much energy to land on the remaining surface, so he flew between two trees at the edge of the forest to reduce speed and energy. The airplane impacted the trees, separating the right wing, and came to rest on its right side. The pilot and passenger remained in the wreckage, and the pilot used his cell phone to call for assistance and direct emergency personnel to their location.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 71, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine airplane rating. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on March 3, 2011, with the limitation that he must have available glasses for near vision. He documented 1400 total flight hours at that time.
Aircraft Information
The Luscombe 8A, serial number 1868, was built in 1941 and issued a standard airworthiness certificate in the normal category. It is a high-wing, two-place, side-by-side seating design with a tail wheel gear configuration. The airplane was equipped with a Continental A-65 engine, converted to 75 horsepower, and a McCauley fixed two-bladed propeller. Maintenance records showed an annual inspection on the airframe, propeller, and engine on November 12, 2010, at a total time of 2,289 hours.
Meteorological Information
The closest official weather observation was at Valdosta Regional Airport (VLD), 21 miles east of the accident site. At 1453 on October 8, 2011, the automated weather observing system reported wind from 060 degrees at 6 knots, gusting to 17 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, broken at 4,700 feet; temperature 27 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The right wing separated from the fuselage, ripping open the cockpit roof section when it struck a tree. The right side of the fuselage impacted the ground. The left wing buckled at the wing root and bent forward, coming to rest parallel to and on top of the left side of the fuselage. The main wreckage came to rest about 30 feet forward of the impacted trees.
A post-recovery wreckage examination was conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). A 6-inch-diameter section from the top crankcase flange area, between cylinders 2 and 1, had separated, exposing the piston rods and crankshaft. The engine teardown revealed that the number 2 cylinder piston connecting rod and cap assembly had separated from the crankshaft. On one side of the cap, a fractured section of the rod remained attached by the bolt and nut, with the safety cotter key installed. On the other side, the bolt and nut were missing and found among debris in the oil sump. The safety cotter key for that assembly was not located. The damaged piston rod assembly and an exemplar were sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further examination.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Division of Forensic Sciences, conducted a postmortem examination of the passenger. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma.
Test and Research
Engine maintenance records reflected that on November 12, 2010, the engine was removed due to aluminum particles found in the oil screen, with the number 2 cylinder piston pin plug having disintegrated. All crankshaft bearings were replaced, and "replaced all rod bolts and nuts" among other components before the engine was reinstalled. At that time, the engine had 32 hours since major overhaul. The pilot stated the engine had accumulated about 20 hours of operation since that repair.
The NTSB Materials Laboratory examination revealed the damaged piston connecting rod assembly was deformed and had sustained considerable damage to the crankshaft attachment end. Microscope examination showed a region with a flat fracture surface exhibiting crack arrest fronts consistent with a fatigue fracture. The mating fracture surface had a similar flat region with crack arrest fronts. The fracture origin areas were diffuse with no apparent defects, consistent with fatigue fracture.
A Lowrance AIRMAP 1000 GPS was recovered and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory for data retrieval. The unit recorded latitude and longitude in chronological order, capturing the accident flight as it circled onto an open field and stopped in a wooded area.