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| Date: | Saturday 8 October 2011 |
| Time: | 14:50 |
| Type: |  Luscombe 8A |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N41907 |
| MSN: | 1868 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2283 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental A&C65 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Dixie Highway nr. Dew Berry S R, about 5 miles south of Quitman, GA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Thomasville Municipal Airport, GA (TVI/KTVI) |
| Bell, FL (37FL) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that he noted the engine oil temperature rising during cruise flight. He elected to reduce power and fly to the nearest airport. While en route, at an altitude of about 1,000 feet above ground level and a distance of 4 miles, the engine experienced a catastrophic failure. The pilot landed the airplane on an open field; however, he could not stop the airplane on the remaining surface and it impacted two trees in a wooded area beyond the field.
A postaccident examination revealed that the No. 2 cylinder piston connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. One of the bolts securing the rod cap was missing. The bolt and nut were recovered from internal engine debris; however a safety cotter pin necessary to secure the bolt was not located. About 20 engine-operating hours before the accident, all of the engine’s the piston connecting rod bearings and their respective bolts and nuts were replaced. Thus, it is likely that at that time one of the two nuts was not properly secured with a cotter pin on the No. 2 cylinder piston connecting rod, allowing the nuts to slowly unthread over time.
Probable Cause: Maintenance personnel’s improper installation of the No. 2 cylinder’s connecting rod, which resulted in the disconnection of the rod and a subsequent loss of engine power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 09-Oct-2011 01:39 | gerard57 | Added |
| 09-Oct-2011 02:10 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Location, Narrative, ] |
| 09-Oct-2011 02:15 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 09-Oct-2011 03:08 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 09-Oct-2011 20:18 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 24-Oct-2011 10:06 | Geno | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 27-Nov-2017 17:21 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Cn, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 06-Jul-2025 20:57 | BEAVERSPOTTER | Updated [Cn, Departure airport, ] |
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