# NTSB CEN20LA228: Beech 24, N444JR, Livingston, TX, June 13, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 13, 2020, 18:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: Livingston, TX - Coordinates: 30.680833, -95.01139 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.6808&lon=-95.0114&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101433 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20LA228 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101433/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101433 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA228 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power due to the failure of the No. 3 cylinder for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot; cases with it: [Beech A24R, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Beech A24R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech A24R, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1151252), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot and his passenger departed on a cross-country flight en route to their home airport. While flying at 7,500 ft mean sea level, the engine began to violently shake, vibrate, and then lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing to a nearby airport; however, the airplane impacted trees and terrain short of the runway. The airplane came to rest upright in a field about 300 yards short of the runway. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 3 cylinder had separated from the engine crankcase. The cylinder, piston, and fractured connecting rod remained within the engine cowling. A review of the maintenance records revealed no recent history of major engine maintenance. Several weeks after the accident, the airplane was recovered by unknown personnel to an unknown location. Examination of the engine to determine the failure of the No. 3 cylinder was not possible. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2020, about 1825 central daylight time, a Beech A24R airplane, N444JR, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Livingston, Texas. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, he and his passenger departed Covey Trails Airport, Fulshear, Texas, en route to their home airport in De Ridder, Louisiana. While flying about 7,500 ft mean sea level, the engine began to violently shake, vibrate, and then lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing to the Livingston Municipal Airport (00R), Livingston, Texas; however, the airplane impacted trees and terrain short of the runway. The airplane came to rest upright in a field about 300 yards short of runway 30. Postaccident examination of the engine at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the No. 3 cylinder had separated from the engine crankcase. The cylinder, piston, and fractured connecting rod remained within the engine cowling. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, forward fuselage, and firewall. The airplane was not equipped with shoulder harness restraints, and the pilot sustained head and facial injuries. Several weeks after the accident, the airplane was recovered by unknown personnel to an unknown location. Examination of the engine to determine the failure of the No. 3 cylinder was not possible. A review of the maintenance records revealed the most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on July 22, 2019, at a total engine time of 3,555.43 hours and 960 hours since major overhaul. According to the most recent entry in the engine logbook, on March 26, 2020, the engine underwent an oil change at a total time of 3,652.53 hours. The pilot did not return a completed NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident form (NTSB Form 6120). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N444JR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444JR-2022-10-01), registration cancelled 2022-10-01, S/N MC-51 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech 24 (A24R) - Registry model: [Beech A24R](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a24r) (registry code 1151252) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: MC-51 - Year built: 1970 - Airframe hours: 3555.43 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360-A1B 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, July 22, 2019 - Departed: X09, Fulshear, TX - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 00R, Livingston Muni, runway 30, 3,704 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 54; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review February 15, 2020; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 146 total, 146 in this make and model, 97 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: 6R3, 20 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200613006079A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200613006079A), Jun 13, 2020: Beech A24R, Livingston, TX, Substantial damage. The aircraft was flying from spring, TX to deridder, LA. The pilot noticed the engine did not sound normal. As the aircraft continued flight the engine began… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101433. 38.8 MB in all. - Record of conversations - pilot (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11434179&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Pilot-Rel.pdf - NTSB aircraft accident form request (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 674 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11433943&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Request_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Record of conversations FAA inspector (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 123 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11434364&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20Bolton%201-Rel.pdf - Excerpt of maintenance records (item 4, PDF, 2 pages, 36.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11434189&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MX%20Record%20Excerpts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 999 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11433953&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.