What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Engine lost power during flight from fairbanks international airport (fai) to healy lake, Alaska. Pilot attempted to divert to Delta Jct. (D-66) and crashed 2.1 miles northwest of D-66. Aircraft was destroyed. Pilot received minor injuries (scrapes and bruises) to his right hand. Pilot stated that power loss was gradual with engine producing partial power until about 2000FT MSL. Pilot then selected low pitch and shut off fuel and master switch. Engine continued to rotate until impact with trees then ground. FAA inspectors at the accident site found nothing obvious that would contribute to the cause of the accident. The aircraft and engine were recovered and transported to fai by northland aviation on 03/11/2000. A partial engine teardown, witnesses by FAA inspectors, was accomplished by northland aviation on 03/13/2000. Fuel and lubrication systems appreared normal except for metal contamination in the oil. Both intake manifolds had pieces of metal in them which appeared to the piston ring material. Spark plugs from all cylinders except #3 were shorted and the plugs from #2 piston where physically damaged. #2 and #1 cylinders were removed. #2 piston was badly er oded and the cylinder wall was abraded with evidence of heat damaged. Piston material had been compacted into the #2 cylinder head. #1 cylinder was normal. No excessive main bearing or crankshaft wear were noted. #2 cylinder and piston are being sent to the NTSB investigator for further analysis.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ENGINE LOST POWER DURING FLIGHT FROM FAIRBANKS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (FAI) TO HEALY LAKE, ALASKA. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DIVERT TO DELTA JCT. (D-66) AND CRASHED 2.1 MILES NORTHWEST OF D-66. AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES (SCRAPES AND BRUISES) TO HIS RIGHT HAND. PILOT STATED THAT POWER LOSS WAS GRADUAL WITH ENGINE PRODUCING PARTIAL POWER UNTIL ABOUT 2000FT MSL. PILOT THEN SELECTED LOW PITCH AND SHUT OFF FUEL AND MASTER SWITCH. ENGINE CONTINUED TO ROTATE UNTIL IMPACT WITH TREES THEN GROUND. FAA INSPECTORS AT THE ACCIDENT SITE FOUND NOTHING OBVIOUS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WERE RECOVERED AND TRANSPORTED TO FAI BY NORTHLAND AVIATION ON 03/11/2000. A PARTIAL ENGINE TEARDOWN, WITNESSES BY FAA INSPECTORS, WAS ACCOMPLISHED BY NORTHLAND AVIATION ON 03/13/2000. FUEL AND LUBRICATION SYSTEMS APPREARED NORMAL EXCEPT FOR METAL CONTAMINATION IN THE OIL. BOTH INTAKE MANIFOLDS HAD PIECES OF METAL IN THEM WHICH APPEARED TO THE PISTON RING MATERIAL. SPARK PLUGS FROM ALL CYLINDERS EXCEPT #3 WERE SHORTED AND THE PLUGS FROM #2 PISTON WHERE PHYSICALLY DAMAGED. #2 AND #1 CYLINDERS WERE REMOVED. #2 PISTON WAS BADLY ER ODED AND THE CYLINDER WALL WAS ABRADED WITH EVIDENCE OF HEAT DAMAGED. PISTON MATERIAL HAD BEEN COMPACTED INTO THE #2 CYLINDER HEAD. #1 CYLINDER WAS NORMAL. NO EXCESSIVE MAIN BEARING OR CRANKSHAFT WEAR WERE NOTED. #2 CYLINDER AND PISTON ARE BEING SENT TO THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.