Fonville SWEARINGEN SX300 N5SX

Summary

On 18 September 2021 at about 15:24 local time, a Fonville SWEARINGEN SX300 registered N5SX was involved in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 2021 at 15:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Buckeye, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

33.1946, -112.8118

Aircraft

Fonville SWEARINGEN SX300

Registration

N5SX

Category

Airplane

Year built

1996

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gila Bend → Glendale

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR21LA357

1 person was seriously injured.

The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the left magneto.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed uneventfully, leveled the airplane at 1,000 ft above ground level, and set the engine power to 2,500 rpm. He then initiated a climb, during which the engine power increased to 3,200 rpm and the engine became “unresponsive to input” just before it lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing, during which the pilot sustained minor injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed the left magneto flange was securely clamped at the mounting pad; however, the flange was detached from the magneto. The three screw holes where the flange and magneto should have attached exhibited severe elongation and deformation, which was indicative of a loss of torque and subsequent prolonged inability to maintain proper mating of the magneto flange and housing. The three attachment screws were not recovered. The condition observed during postaccident examination likely existed for an extended time as evidenced by fretting and wear signatures of the housing components. Internally, the magneto components become misaligned to such a degree that proper magneto internal timing and the ability to operate within the manufacturer’s specification were affected, resulting in the total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.