What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot reported that the engine quit while he was en route to a job and he landed in an alfalfa field. The aircraft collided with a ditch which was obscured by the crops. A postcrash fire erupted and consumed the aircraft. The aircraft was examined by an FAA airworthiness inspector. He reported that the engine crankshaft would rotate; however, no corresponding valve action was noted on any cylinder. The inspector observed a disassembly of the engine and reported that the eight screws which secure the crankshaft hub to the crankshaft gear had sheared. The crankshaft gear rotates all accessory drive gears, including the magnetos.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT WHILE HE WAS EN ROUTE TO A JOB AND HE LANDED IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH WHICH WAS OBSCURED BY THE CROPS. A POSTCRASH FIRE ERUPTED AND CONSUMED THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR. HE REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT WOULD ROTATE; HOWEVER, NO CORRESPONDING VALVE ACTION WAS NOTED ON ANY CYLINDER. THE INSPECTOR OBSERVED A DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENGINE AND REPORTED THAT THE EIGHT SCREWS WHICH SECURE THE CRANKSHAFT HUB TO THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR HAD SHEARED. THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR ROTATES ALL ACCESSORY DRIVE GEARS, INCLUDING THE MAGNETOS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N68251 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.