# Accident 19940715018639A: Aviat PITTSS1S, Stevensville, MD, July 15, 1994

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 15, 1994, 14:45 local time
- Place: Stevensville, MD
- Airport: Kentmorr Airpark Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9893° N, 76.2997° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9893&lon=-76.2997&mi=10
- Aircraft: N515TN, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N515TN-2000-08-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Marteney Donald L PITTS S1S (registry code 72206AS, https://openairdocs.org/model/marteney-donald-l-pitts-s1s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AVIAT PITTSS1S
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4G
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC94LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA129) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940715018639A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ENGINE FAILED, LANDED IN FIELD, CLIPPED RIGHT WING ON TREE SKIDDED 150 FT ENDED UP ON NOSE AND MAIN GEAR. (.4)THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER JUST AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE PILOT REDUCED THE THROTTLE.  THE PILOT RE-APPLIED FULL THROTTLE WITH NO RESULT.  DURING THE FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, THE AIRPLANE'S WING STRUCK A TREE, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER.  EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR (13S19646) BECAME DISCONNECTED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT DUE TO A BROKEN BOLT.  METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE ACCESSORY GEAR RETAINING BOLT (P/N STD-2213), AND DOWEL PIN (P/N STD-1065) REVEALED THAT THEY SEPARATED AS A RESULT OF HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE MECHANISM, MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY INSUFFICIENT TORQUE OF THE BOLT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC94LA129](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC94LA129), Jul 15, 1994: Pitts S-1S (N515TN), Stevensville, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: Inadequate maintenance by which undertorquing of the accessory gear retaining bolt resulted in fatigue failure of the bolt and the subsequent loss of engine power.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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