Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
A loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the crankshaft and camshaft gear teeth during cruise flight and the unsuitable landing area encountered by the pilot during the forced landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On July 23, 2006, at 2015 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65 floatplane, N7012H, impacted terrain during a forced landing near New Market, Minnesota. The pilot reported that the airplane experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot sustained minor injuries. The local flight originated at 1945 from Prior Lake, Minnesota.
Examination of the airplane by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed the fuel aboard was near full. No on-scene anomalies were noted with the airplane.
The airplane was powered by a Continental C-90-8, serial number 67129-8-8, engine that received its last major overhaul on May 26, 2004. The last inspection of the engine was an annual inspection dated May 2, 2006, at a time since major overhaul of 179 hours.
The engine was shipped to Teledyne Continental Motors, in Mobile, Alabama, where the engine was disassembled and examined under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration. The examination revealed that several of the crankshaft and camshaft gear teeth were broken off. The surface separations of the teeth exhibited features consistent with fatigue.
The FAA and Teledyne Continental Motors were parties to the investigation.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CHI06LA211