20030701037639A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr VELOCITY · Sebastian, FL · July 1, 2003

Date: July 1, 2003
Place: Sebastian, FL
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N51576
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA03LA139
Reported as: Amtr Velocity
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360A1A
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,300 total1,500 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N51576Registered now · Dasilva Samuel G VELOCITYS/N DM0112 · Built 1993 Airframe modelDasilva Samuel G VELOCITY Engine modelLycoming I0360 SER A&CReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The aircraft engine lost power about 10 minutes after departing Sebastian, FL (X26), and a forced landing was made in a field where the airplane impacted a ditch. Post-accident teardown and examination of the engine on 7/16/03 revealed that the crankshaft had fractured at the no.3 cylinder connecting rod journal. Unaided visual examination of the engine components revealed no evidence of lack of lubrication or crankcase fretting. Review of the engine records and discussion with the aircraft owner revealed that the engine had been disassembled and reassembled about 7 months and 88 flight hours prior to this mishap. The owner reported that this was necessitated by a camshaft lobe failures at the #1 & #2 cylinders. The crankshaft was polished by an automotive machine shop prior to reassembly, and the camshaft was replaced with a "yellow-tagged" cam. Both the non-mechanic owner and an FAA certificated mechanic accomplished the engine maintenance.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING SEBASTIAN, FL (X26), AND A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A FIELD WHERE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A DITCH. POST-ACCIDENT TEARDOWN AND EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE ON 7/16/03 REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FRACTURED AT THE NO.3 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD JOURNAL. UNAIDED VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE COMPONENTS REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF LACK OF LUBRICATION OR CRANKCASE FRETTING. REVIEW OF THE ENGINE RECORDS AND DISCUSSION WITH THE AIRCRAFT OWNER REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE HAD BEEN DISASSEMBLED AND REASSEMBLED ABOUT 7 MONTHS AND 88 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THIS MISHAP. THE OWNER REPORTED THAT THIS WAS NECESSITATED BY A CAMSHAFT LOBE FAILURES AT THE #1 & #2 CYLINDERS. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS POLISHED BY AN AUTOMOTIVE MACHINE SHOP PRIOR TO REASSEMBLY, AND THE CAMSHAFT WAS REPLACED WITH A "YELLOW-TAGGED" CAM. BOTH THE NON-MECHANIC OWNER AND AN FAA CERTIFICATED MECHANIC ACCOMPLISHED THE ENGINE MAINTENANCE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA03LA139Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSebastian, FLThe improper repair of the crankshaft by a FAA Certified Repair Station resulting in fatigue failure and subsequent total loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the rough/uneven terrain encountered by the pilot during the landing roll in a field.Jul 1, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N51576 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20260130002299ILanding: Touchdown · Clearwater, FLUpon touchdown, pilot experienced a normal landing, followed by a soft rising of the nose of the aircraft. After exiting the aircraft he identifiedthat both main landing gears had collapsed.Jan 30, 2026 · Minor damage