Cessna 177A N30614

Summary

On 3 November 1996 at about 20:30 local time, a Cessna 177A registered N30614 was involved in an accident near Kirksville, Missouri, United States. 4 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 November 1996 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kirksville, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

40.1894, -92.5707

Aircraft

Cessna 177A

Registration

N30614

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI97LA021

1 person had minor injuries.

an improper maintenance overhaul by company maintenance personnel which led to a bearing failure. The soft terrain was a factor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had been flying about 3 minutes when the pilot heard a slapping sound. This sound was followed by a windshield covered with oil, a violent shake from the engine, and smoke in the cockpit. The pilot made a forced landing in field. When the nosewheel touched the field's surface, the airplane nosed over onto its back. An examination of the engine revealed the #2 rod was broken at its crankshaft attachment point. The crankshaft journal was black/blue in color and had multiple grooves around its surface. The bearing was the separated in many pieces of various sizes. These pieces were also black/blue in color. According to the pilot, the engine was overhauled 224 hours before the accident. Paperwork associated with the overhaul showed that the engine was being disassembled due to metal chips in the oil filter and a spun connecting rod bearing on cylinder #3. The engine's overhaul was its first since it was new.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.