- Date
- October 2, 2004, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Ashland, AL
- Injuries
- 3 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N40129Stinson 108
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 8, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Birmingham FSDO-09
- FAA report
- 20041002024869A
- Case key
- 60256
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power in cruise flight due to the fatigue failure of the No.4 cylinder exhaust valve.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot stated they were in cruise flight at 2,500 feet with a private pilot flying the airplane. The engine began to run rough and shudder. The pilot stated, "I have the controls" and the private pilot responded, "you have the controls." The pilot looked for a forced landing area and observed a country road and a field. He completed the emergency checklist and entered a downwind to land on the highway. He turned base and observed power poles, but he could not see any power lines running between the poles and decided to land in the field. He made a left 35-degree turn towards a field and propeller struck a tree, yawed to the left colliding with the ground separating the landing gear and bending the engine firewall. Examination of the engine assembly revealed the exhaust valve in the No.4 cylinder had failed. Examination of the exhaust valve revealed fatigue cracks had propagated from opposite sides of the stem adjacent to the beginning of the radius between the stem and the valve head.
Factual narrative
On October 2, 2004, at 0900 central daylight time, a Stinson 108, N40129, registered to and operated by a private owner, as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight collided with trees during a forced landing to unsuitable terrain following a loss of engine power near Ashland, Alabama. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane received substantial damage. The airline transport rated pilot, private pilot passenger, and one rear seat passenger reported minor injuries. The remaining rear seat passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from Birmingham, Alabama on October 2, 2004, at 0835.
The pilot stated they were in cruise flight at 2,500 feet MSL with a private pilot flying the airplane. The engine began to run rough and shudder. The pilot stated, "I have the controls" and the private pilot responded, "you have the controls." The pilot looked for a forced landing area and observed a country road and a field. He completed the emergency checklist and entered a downwind to land on the highway. He turned base and observed power poles, but he could not see any power lines running between the poles and decided to land in the field. He made a left 35-degree turn towards a field and propeller struck a tree, yawed to the left colliding with the ground separating the landing gear and bending the engine firewall.
Examination of the engine assembly revealed the exhaust valve in the No.4 cylinder had failed. The No. 4 cylinder and exhaust valve were forwarded to the NTSB Materials Laboratory for further analysis. Examination of the exhaust valve revealed fatigue cracks had propagated from opposite sides of the stem adjacent to the beginning of the radius between the stem and the valve head.
The No. 4 cylinder and exhaust valve was returned to the registered owner on January 24, 2005.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N40129
- Reported as
- Stinson 108
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-59
- Engine
- Franklin GA4-150 B3, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Brandt
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 3, 2004 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
- Destination
- 26A · Ashland, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 54
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Commercial, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 20, 2004
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 9,387 total · 55 in this make and model · 7,833 as pilot in command · 74 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- ANB, 29 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.