Summary
On September 27, 2003, a Stinson 108-3 (N6624M) was involved in an accident near Lincoln, NE. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The total loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the engine accessory gear drive. A factor was the concrete marker.
On September 27, 2003, at 1530 central daylight time, a Stinson 108-3, N6624M, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it lost engine power and nosed over while attempting to land in a field 6 nautical miles north-northeast of Lincoln Municipal Airport (LNK), Lincoln, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight departed the Fremont Municipal Airport (FET), Fremont, Nebraska, at 1510.
The pilot reported that the engine failed while in cruise flight at 3,000 feet mean sea level. The engine could not be restarted, and a forced landing was made to a sod field.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CHI03LA322. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6624M.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The total loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the engine accessory gear drive. A factor was the concrete marker.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On September 27, 2003, at 1530 central daylight time, a Stinson 108-3, N6624M, piloted by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when it lost engine power and nosed over while attempting to land in a field 6 nautical miles north-northeast of Lincoln Municipal Airport (LNK), Lincoln, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The flight departed the Fremont Municipal Airport (FET), Fremont, Nebraska, at 1510.
The pilot reported that the engine failed while in cruise flight at 3,000 feet mean sea level. The engine could not be restarted, and a forced landing was made to a sod field. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a concrete marker and nosed over.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector examined the airplane. The exam revealed that the accessory gear drive was fractured in two pieces, and had become dislodged from the crankshaft. He reported, "a corrosion spot was observed protruding off of the keyway propagating towards the outside of the gear." Metal shavings were found in the accessory area and in the oil reservoir.
The accessory gear drive was inspected by Engineering Systems Inc., (ESI), Aurora, Illinois, on January 13, 2004. The inspection revealed that a fatigue fracture had initiated at the key way that held the gear on the rotating shaft.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI03LA322