What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft departed lebanon TN airport (M54) flying to Mcminnville, TN airport (rnc) landing at approximately 1120 local, taxied to runway 23 to takeoff. Security video from the airport shows smoke leaving the aircraft and an apparent partial loss of power approximately 6 seconds after leaving the runway, but the aircraft continued to gain altitude until it disappeared from view. The pilot tried to return to runway, experienced engine failure and stalled. Aircraft experienced hard landing in a field approximately 300 yards west of runway 5 threshold, killing pilot and both passengers. A witness indicated he heard the aircraft flying and then the engine went silent prior to hearing an impact. At the site, the right wing was separated from the aircraft; all other flight controls showed continuity. The #4 cylinder head on the engine was cracked and pushrods were separated from the crankcase. The engine dipstick indicated no oil present. The bottom engine cowling was sprayed with oil; there was also evidence of oil under the aircraft fuselage. One propeller blade was undamaged while the other was bent approximately 90° with some scoring along the face of the blade. The pilot was previous owner and familiar with the aircraft, logging over 110 hours in N4166Z.
Weather: ssw 5 mph, VMC.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LEBANON TN AIRPORT (M54) FLYING TO MCMINNVILLE, TN AIRPORT (RNC) LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1120 LOCAL, TAXIED TO RUNWAY 23 TO TAKEOFF. SECURITY VIDEO FROM THE AIRPORT SHOWS SMOKE LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT AND AN APPARENT PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER APPROXIMATELY 6 SECONDS AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO GAIN ALTITUDE UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. THE PILOT TRIED TO RETURN TO RUNWAY, EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AND STALLED. AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS WEST OF RUNWAY 5 THRESHOLD, KILLING PILOT AND BOTH PASSENGERS. A WITNESS INDICATED HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AND THEN THE ENGINE WENT SILENT PRIOR TO HEARING AN IMPACT. AT THE SITE, THE RIGHT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT; ALL OTHER FLIGHT CONTROLS SHOWED CONTINUITY. THE #4 CYLINDER HEAD ON THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED AND PUSHRODS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKCASE. THE ENGINE DIPSTICK INDICATED NO OIL PRESENT. THE BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING WAS SPRAYED WITH OIL; THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE OF OIL UNDER THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE. ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS UNDAMAGED WHILE THE OTHER WAS BENT APPROXIMATELY 90° WITH SOME SCORING ALONG THE FACE OF THE BLADE. THE PILOT WAS PREVIOUS OWNER AND FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT, LOGGING OVER 110 HOURS IN N4166Z.
WEATHER: SSW 5 MPH, VMC.
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 N4166Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.