Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The loss of engine power due to the failure of the number four connecting rod. A factor to the accident was the soybean crop.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On September 7, 2005, around 0810 central daylight time, a Boeing A75N1 (Stearman), N52551, owned and operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it nosed over during a forced landing after a loss of engine power near Ellisville, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The cross-country flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight departed Galesburg Municipal Airport (GBG), Galesburg, Illinois, at 0745 and was enroute to Litchfield Municipal Airport (3LF), near Litchfield, Illinois.
The pilot reported that during cruise flight he heard a "real loud bang" and the airplane began "shaking with [unbalanced] engine." The pilot stated that he secured the engine and performed a forced landing into a soybean field. The pilot reported that the soybean plants wrapped around the main landing gear, causing the airplane to nose over.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed an onsite inspection of the airplane and engine. The inspector reported that the number four connecting rod had fractured.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI05CA256