N731VX

On August 19, 1995, at 0830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 188B, N731VX, collided with trees during an aborted takeoff from a private airstrip in Raeford, North Carolina. The aerial application flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 137, with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The initial notification of the occurrence reported that the airplane had sustained minor damage, however, a subsequent report on August 31, 1995, upgraded the aircraft damage to substantial. The pilot was not injured during the accident. The accident occurred during a takeoff from the sod airstrip.

According to the operator, the pilot had completed an earlier flight, and had returned to the airstrip for a second load of chemicals. During the ground roll phase of the second takeoff attempt, the engine lost power, and the pilot aborted the takeoff. The airplane rolled off the departure end of the sod runway, and collided with a stand of trees.

An examination of the engine assembly disclosed that the right rear chromed cylinder head had blown off. The examination further revealed that fatigue cracking was evident in the top thread of the aluminum cylinder head. According to Teledyne Continental Motors metallurgist, this fatigue failure mode was consistent with the loss of abutment seal between the steel cylinder barrel and the aluminum head. The metallurgist also stated that the loss of abutment seal normally occurs with cylinders that have been chromed.