# NTSB CEN21LA264: Boeing B75N1, N777JG, Elwood, NE, June 13, 2021

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 13, 2021, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place: Elwood, NE
- Coordinates: 40.70839, -99.83443 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7084&lon=-99.8344&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: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 103259
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA264
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/103259/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103259
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA264

## Probable cause

The failure of the engine master rod, resulting in a total loss of engine power and a forced landing.

## 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: [Boeing B75N1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md)
- [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Boeing B75N1, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=1380144), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that he heard a “loud bang” from the engine during cruise flight, which was followed by “severe vibration.” The pilot moved the throttle to idle, but the vibration got worse. The pilot then applied full throttle, and the engine seemed to run smoothly. However, the engine subsequently began to lose power, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. About 0.75 miles from the runway, the engine completely lost power, and the pilot executed a forced landing to a cornfield, during which the airplane nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the upper left wing and struts. Partial disassembly of the engine revealed that the master rod, that connects the piston in one cylinder to the crankshaft, had failed.

## Factual narrative

On June 13, 2021, about 1330 central daylight time, a Boeing B75N1 Stearman airplane, N777JG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Elwood, Nebraska. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, while the airplane was in cruise flight at an altitude of about 1,000 ft above ground level, he heard a “loud bang” from the engine, which was followed by “severe vibration.” The pilot moved the throttle to idle, but the vibration got worse. The pilot applied full throttle, and the engine seemed to run smoother. Subsequently, the engine began to lose power, and the airplane was unable to maintain altitude. The engine lost total power when the airplane was in the base-to-final turn about 0.75 miles from the runway at an altitude of 200 ft above ground level. The pilot executed a forced landing to a cornfield. The airplane nosed over when the landing gear dug into the soft dirt, resulting in substantial damage to the upper left wing and struts. The pilot, who was also the owner of the airplane, reported that a partial disassembly of the engine revealed that the master rod, that connects the piston in one cylinder to the crankshaft, had failed. Several radial engine mechanics the pilot spoke to commented that a master rod failure was consistent with his description of the loss of engine power. The reason for the failure was not determined. The engine total time was 1,910 hours, and the time since major overhaul was 655.0 hours.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N777JG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N777JG), registered now, S/N 75-3291, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BOEING B75N1
- Registry model: [Boeing B75N1](https://openairdocs.org/model/boeing-b75n1) (registry code 1380144) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental W670 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (registry code 17018, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 75-3291
- Year built: 1942
- Airframe hours: 3692
- Engines: Continental W670 220 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 2, 2020, 19 hours before
- Departed: EAR, Kearney, NE
- Destination: CZD, Cozad, NE
- Airport: 2NE0, Johnson Lake
- Equipment: None

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 34; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 10, 2021; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 300 total, 13 in this make and model, 250 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 25 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 190° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observed at: LXN, 0.5 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 20210613009539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210613009539A), Jun 13, 2021: Boeing B75N1, Elwood, NE, Substantial damage. Approximately 50 minutes into the flight the pilot reported there was a loud bang followed by severe engine vibration. The pilot throttled back and the…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=103259. 3.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 863 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15429553&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Rpt%20--%20CEN21LA264_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 869 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15237848&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20--%20CEN21LA264-Rel.pdf
- Airplane maintenance records (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15241701&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airplane%20Maintenance%20Records%20--%20CEN21LA264_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Conversation summary -- pilot/owner (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15241419&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC%20--%20Justin%20Morris%20--%2002Mar2022-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.

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