Harwood Kenneth LANCAIR 360A N15KH
6 February 2006 · Thermal, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 6 February 2006 at about 18:25 local time, a Harwood Kenneth LANCAIR 360A registered N15KH, operated by Joseph D. Dennis III, was involved in an accident near Thermal, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 18:25
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Thermal, California, United States
- Nearest airport
- Thermal (TRM)
- Coordinates
- 33.5692, -116.1556
- Aircraft
- Harwood Kenneth LANCAIR 360A
- Registration
- N15KH
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Joseph D. Dennis III
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Palm Springs → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX06LA103
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
A loss of engine power caused by the separation of the number three cylinder due to the improper torque on the hold down nuts.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The airplane collided with power lines during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that while maneuvering at 2,000 feet the engine began losing power. The pilot decided to divert to a nearby airport to make the emergency landing. While en route to the alternate airport, the pilot observed a part of the engine departing through the cowling and the engine lost complete power. At that point he knew he was not going to make it to the airport and decided to make a forced landing on a highway. Examination of the engine showed that the number three cylinder separated from the crankcase at the mounting pad due to the separation of its mechanical attachments. Once the cylinder separated, the piston then became unsupported, which resulted in the subsequent separation of the connecting rod from the crankshaft journal. Severe fretting signatures were found on the cylinder flange and crankcase mounting pad. The threads on the top hold down studs were undamaged and indicated that these nuts became loose and backed off. The studs on the bottom of the cylinder were fractured in overload and separated at a level consistent with the upper surface of the cylinder mounting flange.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 Jul 2006 | Beechcraft A36 | Bakersfield, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Jul 2006 | Learjet 55 | Van Nuys, California, United States | Clay Lacy Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 18 Dec 2006 | Beechcraft D95A | Gilroy, California, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 19 Oct 2006 | Boeing 737-790 | Los Angeles, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Oct 2006 | Williams BOWERS FLY BABY-1A | Oakdale, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Oct 2006 | Cessna 152 | Prunedale, California, United States | United Flight Services | Minor injuries | - |