# Accident 20180325010149A: Mx Aircraft LLC MXS, Fulton, TX, March 25, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 25, 2018, 16:35 local time
- Place: Fulton, TX
- Airport: Kalt Ranch Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.1542° N, 96.9758° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1542&lon=-96.9758&mi=10
- Aircraft: N540JH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N540JH-2020-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: MX MXS (registry code 05630G7, https://openairdocs.org/model/mx-mxs) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 series (registry code 41568, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MX AIRCRAFT LLC MXS
- Reported engine: LYCOMING AEIO-540-EXP
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 14,993 total, 1,850 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA127) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180325010149A

## Narrative

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

PILOT DEPARTED NAS KINGSVILLE (KNQI) APPROXIMATELY 16:20 LOCAL TIME WITH 57 GALLONS OF FUEL. AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO 11500 FT ENROUTE TO RED RIVER AIRPORT COUSHATTA, LOUISIANA (0R7). ABOUT 15 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT A SEVERE ENGINE VIBRATION OCCURRED. THE VIBRATION OCCURRED FOR ABOUT 30 SECONDS BEFORE A LOUD "BANG" WAS HEARD. A PIECE OF ENGINE BLEW THROUGH THE COWLING OIL DOOR AND FLEW OVER THE AIRCRAFT.  AIRCRAFT LOST TOTAL POWER. CANOPY WAS COVERED WITH OIL AND ALL FORWARD VISIBILITY WAS LOST. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE/SHAKE AND CONTINUED UNTIL PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO BEST GLIDE SPEED OF 110 MPH. PILOT IMMEDIATELY CHECKED GPS FOR NEAREST AIRPORT THAT HE COULD MAKE IT TO AND IT WAS (9TE5) KALT RANCH AIRPORT, WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE AN ABANDONED AIRSTRIP. HE GLIDED DIRECTLY TO THE AIRSTRIP USING THE GPS AS REFERENCE. PILOT HAD MINIMAL VISIBILITY OUT THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE CANOPY. PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE CLOUDS. WHEN HE FINALLY HAD VIEW OF THE RUNWAY HE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AND A BASE LEG ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE. HE HAD TO LAND WITH AN ESTIMATED 25 KNOT TAIL WIND. AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT A THIRD OF THE WAY DOWN THE 1650 FOOT RUNWAY. PILOT (HAD ZERO VISIBILITY LOOKING FORWARD) DID NOT SEE A PIECE OF ROOF PANEL WITH A DISH ANTENNA THAT WAS LAYING ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE DEBRIS WITH THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. THE LANDING GEAR WAS COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO SKID TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND THE LANDING GEAR WENT OVER TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY.  AIRPLANE HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO LOWER SIDE OF FUSELAGE FROM NOSE TO TAIL, RIGHT WING AILERON WAS DAMAGED AT OUTBOARD SIDE, RUDDER WAS DAMAGED AT LOWER SIDE , PROPELLER WAS DESTROYED, ENGINE WAS DESTROYED, THREE OF THE FOUR ENGINE MOUNTS WERE STILL ATTACHED TO ENGINE TRUSS ASSEMBLY, WHICH SEPARATED FROM THE CRACKED ENGINE HARD POINTS. ONE ENGINE MOUNT WAS STILL ATTACHED TO ENGINE CASE. BOTTOM OF AIRCRAFT WINGS COULD NOT BE CHECKED FOR DAMAGE. CRANKSHAFT COUNTER BALANCE WEIGHT WAS FOUND THREE FEET BEHIND AIRCRAFT.

INSPECTORS DETERMINED BASED ON THE INSPECTION THAT THE CRANKSHAFT COUNTER BALANCE WEIGHT CAME OFF THE CRANKSHAFT, WHICH THREW THE CRANKSHAFT OUT OF BALANCE CAUSING EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND EVENTUALLY DESTROYING THE ENGINE. NO SIGNS OF LEAKAGE FROM FUEL TANKS. NO POST CRASH FIRE AND NO INJURY TO PILOT.

NTSB WILL HAVE ENGINE INSPECTED.  REPORT MAY BE AMENDED UPON OUTCOME OF NTSB RESULTS.

## 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 CEN18LA127](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA127), Mar 25, 2018: MX MXS (N540JH), Fulton, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the crankshaft, which resulted in the pilot’s forced landing to an abandoned airport and the airplane’s subsequent impact with debris on the…

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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