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20040124001189A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Gulstm 112A · Bedford, MA · January 24, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
January 24, 2004 · 22:15 local
Place
Bedford, MA
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1381J
NTSB investigation
NTSBIAD04LA008
Reported as
Gulstm 112A
Reported engine
Lycoming IO360C1D6
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
830 total30 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N1381JRegistration cancelled Aug 22, 2006 · Rockwell International 112AS/N 381 · Built 1975Airframe modelRockwell International 112AEngine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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) Pilot reported smoke in the cockpit to boston TRACON while in cruise flight at 4500 feet MSL while enroute from hya to ash. Source of smoke could not be identified initially and the pilot shut down the electrical system but smoke continued to be a problem. Engine began to vibrate severely and pilot elected to shut down the engine. Pilot determined that there was a fire in the engine compartment. Pilot opened the windows to eliminate smoke but the fire continued to burn. Aircraft crashlanded into 60 foot hardwood trees approximately 4 NM north of hanscom field (bed). Fuel tanks ruptured upon crashlanding and aircraft was totally consumed by fire. Pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. No enforcement or reexamination is planned. Initial teardown of the aircraft engine indicates that the number two (2) piston connecting rod tip cap failed and caused the connecting rod to be pushed through the side of the engine case, causing engine oil to be sprayed onto hot exhaust manifold and catch fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT REPORTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT TO BOSTON TRACON WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 4500 FEET MSL WHILE ENROUTE FROM HYA TO ASH. SOURCE OF SMOKE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED INITIALLY AND THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM BUT SMOKE CONTINUED TO BE A PROBLEM. ENGINE BEGAN TO VIBRATE SEVERELY AND PILOT ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE. PILOT DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. PILOT OPENED THE WINDOWS TO ELIMINATE SMOKE BUT THE FIRE CONTINUED TO BURN. AIRCRAFT CRASHLANDED INTO 60 FOOT HARDWOOD TREES APPROXIMATELY 4 NM NORTH OF HANSCOM FIELD (BED). FUEL TANKS RUPTURED UPON CRASHLANDING AND AIRCRAFT WAS TOTALLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. NO ENFORCEMENT OR REEXAMINATION IS PLANNED. INITIAL TEARDOWN OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE INDICATES THAT THE NUMBER TWO (2) PISTON CONNECTING ROD TIP CAP FAILED AND CAUSED THE CONNECTING ROD TO BE PUSHED THROUGH THE SIDE OF THE ENGINE CASE, CAUSING ENGINE OIL TO BE SPRAYED ONTO HOT EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND CATCH FIRE.

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 IAD04LA008Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBedford, MAFailure of the #2 piston connecting rod cap, which resulted in a hole in the engine crankcase and a loss of engine power. A factor was dark night lighting condition.Jan 25, 2004 · Destroyed