Dalin Ronald K T-51 MUSTANG N551RD

Summary

On 14 April 2010 at about 16:36 local time, a Dalin Ronald K T-51 MUSTANG registered N551RD, operated by Dalin Ronald K, was involved in an accident near Lakeland, Florida, 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.

Date

14 April 2010 at 16:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeland, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.9294, -82.0431

Aircraft

Dalin Ronald K T-51 MUSTANG

Registration

N551RD

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Dalin Ronald K

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeland → Lakeland

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10LA229

Nobody was injured.

The builder’s use of inadequate material for the exhaust manifold adapters resulting in heat damage and chafing of the crankshaft synchronizer and timing wires that rendered an inoperative ignition system and loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial climb, the engine of the amateur built airplane lost all power. Attempts to restore the engine power by the pilot were not successful as he maneuvered the airplane for a forced landing to a field. A postaccident examination of the airplane’s engine compartment revealed that the left and right exhaust manifold adapters were made of inadequate aluminum material. In particular, the right exhaust manifold was found loosely attached to its adaptor by only two bolts (upper) that were not secured with safety wire. The lower two bolts of the adaptor appeared to have completely vibrated loose and each of the four threaded bolt holes were found stripped. The adaptor material had various degrees of thermal damage and erosion which allowed exhaust impingement onto the crankshaft synchronizer and timing wires that were located directly below the damaged manifold adaptor. The wires’ insulation was found heat damaged and chafed leaving the wire conductors exposed. The orientation of the chafing of the exposed wire conductors was in a straight line, nearly perpendicular to the wire’s length and consistent with having contact with the right lower longeron. Operational testing of the synchronizer and timing sensors system using the airplane’s battery power and the heat damaged synchronizer and timing wires was satisfactory. The engine was then rotated through several rotations using the starter and the ignition system appeared to be operational. With battery power applied, the chafed electrical wires with the exposed conductors were then placed against the right lower longeron and the ignition system became inoperative.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.