What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 26, 2019 at approximately 1710 local time aircraft N76268 a Cessna model 140, serial number 10676 departed runway 17 at Newton city/county airport. This was the first flight after the completion on an annual inspection.
The pilot completed a touch and go landing. After turning downwind the pilot noticed that the engine power and RPM was lower than normal. The pilot checked throttle position and continued the downwind. The pilot briefly considered turning and executing a crosswind landing on runway 26 but thought that he was still making power and elected to make a short 180 degree turn to land on runway 17.
During the turn to final approach engine RPM dropped further followed by a clattering noise from the engine for approximately 3 to 4 seconds and then the engine stopped completely. The pilot elected to land straight ahead in a field north of runway 17. After landing the aircraft rolled over nose first and came to rest inverted.
During a post-crash examination of the engine noted that the propeller could be rotated through 270 degrees of rotation and would turn no further. The upper spark plugs were removed from the engine. It was noted that the number 1 piston, the aft left cylinder, was at the very top of the cylinder bore. Rotation of the propeller showed movement of cylinders 2, 3 and 4 but no movement of cylinder 1 was noted.
Research of the records for the engine noted that the engine was overhauled in 1959. The engine was again overhauled on 05/17/1962. The engine had accumulated 1622.25 hours total time. On 04/02/1972 the engine was disassembled and repaired and had accumulated 2677.4 hours engine total time. There was no indication in the records of an overhaul at that time. The aircraft and engine was inactive from 04/2002 to 11/2013 and accumulated 3.6 hours during this time of inactivity.
At the time of the accident the aircraft had accumulated 5899.8 hours total time. Calculated engine times at the time of the accident are as follows: 3556.0 hours engine total time, 1933.8 hours engine time since major overhaul. The engine manufacturer recommends overhaul times in Continental motors service information letter SIL98-9C of 1800 hours and/or 12 years whichever occurs first. This engine had accumulated 1933.8 hours and it had been almost 57 years since an overhaul was documented.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 26, 2019 AT APPROXIMATELY 1710 LOCAL TIME AIRCRAFT N76268 A CESSNA MODEL 140, SERIAL NUMBER 10676 DEPARTED RUNWAY 17 AT NEWTON CITY/COUNTY AIRPORT. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER THE COMPLETION ON AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
THE PILOT COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE POWER AND RPM WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE PILOT CHECKED THROTTLE POSITION AND CONTINUED THE DOWNWIND. THE PILOT BRIEFLY CONSIDERED TURNING AND EXECUTING A CROSSWIND LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 BUT THOUGHT THAT HE WAS STILL MAKING POWER AND ELECTED TO MAKE A SHORT 180 DEGREE TURN TO LAND ON RUNWAY 17.
DURING THE TURN TO FINAL APPROACH ENGINE RPM DROPPED FURTHER FOLLOWED BY A CLATTERING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 TO 4 SECONDS AND THEN THE ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD IN A FIELD NORTH OF RUNWAY 17. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER NOSE FIRST AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.
DURING A POST-CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE NOTED THAT THE PROPELLER COULD BE ROTATED THROUGH 270 DEGREES OF ROTATION AND WOULD TURN NO FURTHER. THE UPPER SPARK PLUGS WERE REMOVED FROM THE ENGINE. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE NUMBER 1 PISTON, THE AFT LEFT CYLINDER, WAS AT THE VERY TOP OF THE CYLINDER BORE. ROTATION OF THE PROPELLER SHOWED MOVEMENT OF CYLINDERS 2, 3 AND 4 BUT NO MOVEMENT OF CYLINDER 1 WAS NOTED.
RESEARCH OF THE RECORDS FOR THE ENGINE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OVERHAULED IN 1959. THE ENGINE WAS AGAIN OVERHAULED ON 05/17/1962. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 1622.25 HOURS TOTAL TIME. ON 04/02/1972 THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND REPAIRED AND HAD ACCUMULATED 2677.4 HOURS ENGINE TOTAL TIME. THERE WAS NO INDICATION IN THE RECORDS OF AN OVERHAUL AT THAT TIME. THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE WAS INACTIVE FROM 04/2002 TO 11/2013 AND ACCUMULATED 3.6 HOURS DURING THIS TIME OF INACTIVITY.
AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ACCUMULATED 5899.8 HOURS TOTAL TIME. CALCULATED ENGINE TIMES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT ARE AS FOLLOWS: 3556.0 HOURS ENGINE TOTAL TIME, 1933.8 HOURS ENGINE TIME SINCE MAJOR OVERHAUL. THE ENGINE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDS OVERHAUL TIMES IN CONTINENTAL MOTORS SERVICE INFORMATION LETTER SIL98-9C OF 1800 HOURS AND/OR 12 YEARS WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. THIS ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 1933.8 HOURS AND IT HAD BEEN ALMOST 57 YEARS SINCE AN OVERHAUL WAS DOCUMENTED.
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 N76268 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.