Houts AVID MARK IV N43280

Summary

On 21 October 2011 at about 21:15 local time, a Houts AVID MARK IV registered N43280 was involved in an accident near Hibbing, Minnesota, 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 October 2011 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Hibbing, Minnesota, United States

Coordinates

47.3867, -92.8389

Aircraft

Houts AVID MARK IV

Registration

N43280

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eveleth → Eveleth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12CA035

1 person had minor injuries.

The improper installation of a hose clamp, which resulted in an oil line rupture and subsequent loss of engine oil pressure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the local flight the engine lost oil pressure and the cockpit began to fill with smoke. He immediately reduced engine power to idle and performed a forced landing to a nearby field. The airplane collided with a barbed wire fence during the landing roll and subsequently nosed over. The fuselage, right wing, and vertical stabilizer were substantially damaged. A postaccident inspection revealed that the oil supply line to the oil cooler had ruptured, which allowed oil to come in contact with the engine's hot exhaust, producing smoke. The rubber, automobile-style oil line had failed immediately adjacent to its respective oil cooler inlet fitting. The hose clamp used to secure the oil line to the inlet fitting was not properly positioned over the fitting, which allowed the unsupported hose clamp to abrade through the oil line.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.