Cessna 177B N30740

Summary

On 21 January 2009 at about 01:49 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N30740, operated by Moore Air, was involved in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. 2 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

21 January 2009 at 01:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

Nearest airport

Honolulu International Airport (HNL)

Coordinates

21.3186, -157.9222

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N30740

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Moore Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Kapolei

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR09LA097

1 person had minor injuries.

An oil starvation induced catastrophic engine failure due to the fracture and separation of the propeller governor oil line, which was a result of inadequate inspection by maintenance personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after takeoff, the pilot noticed that oil began to spray onto the windshield, which limited his visibility to only what he could see out of the left and right side windows. The pilot informed air traffic control of the situation and made a 180-degree turn back towards the airport. While returning to the airport, the pilot felt a severe vibration from the engine and shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. Due to the oil on the windshield obstructing his vision, the pilot overshot the runway and landed in a grassy area on the airport. The nose landing gear separated and the airplane nosed down. Post-accident examination of the engine revealed a hole in the top of the engine case above the number 3 cylinder. The propeller governor oil line was found fractured at the "B" nut securing it to the front of the crankcase. Both of the line's securing clamps were found broken. Examination of the engine logbook revealed that the last 100-hour inspection was completed about 89 hours before the accident. Federal Aviation Regulations stipulate that during a 100-hour or annual inspection, all engine lines, hoses, and clamps are to be inspected for leaks, improper condition, and looseness. Two days prior to the accident, an oil leak was reported on the aircraft. A mechanic reported that he determined the source of the oil leak was probably the crankshaft seal. He changed the crankshaft seal and test ran the engine with no oil leaks noted. The accident flight was the first flight after this repair.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.