Easley PITTS S2-E N777GH

Summary

On 29 March 1986 at about 23:42 local time, a Easley PITTS S2-E registered N777GH, operated by Eugene M. Henry, was involved in an accident near Homestead, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

29 March 1986 at 23:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Homestead, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Homestead General Avn. (X51)

Coordinates

25.4892, -80.5107

Aircraft

Easley PITTS S2-E

Registration

N777GH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Eugene M. Henry

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Miami

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA86LA108

1 person was seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 600 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. POST CRASH INSPECTION REVEALED THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER HAD FAILED AT THE POINT THE CYLINDER HEAD AND CYLINDER BARREL ARE SCREWED TOGETHER. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO CORROSION AND DIFFUSION OF IRON FROM THE CYLINDER BARREL OVER A 3 INCH AREA AT THE 3RD THREAD. THIS RESULTED IN FATIGUE AND OVERSTRESS FAILURE. CORROSION WAS FOUND TO HAVE INITIATED DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF CHLORINE IN THE THREADED AREA. WHEN THE CYLINDER WAS OVERHAULED IN FEBRUARY 1980, 214 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE FAILURE, TRICHLOROETHLENE VAPOR DEGREASER WAS USED TO CLEAN THE CYLINDER PRIOR TO OVERHAUL. AFTER USE OF THE VAPOR DEGREASER THE CYLINDER WAS NOT HEATED TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS CHEMICAL FROM THE CRACKS OF THE CYLINDER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.