- Date
- September 16, 2002, 18:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place
- Washington, IA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N304MBBailey DSA-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Des Moines, Iowa-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020916030499A
- Case key
- 55735
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
The selection of unsuitable terrain and the failure of the oil pressure gage line. Factors were, the pilot/owners failure to obtain an annual condition inspection, and the corn crop.
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 airplane was damaged during a precautionary landing after an oil line failure during flight. The pilot said that the plastic oil line from the engine to the oil pressure gauge failed. He said that thick smoke and oil were present and he elected to land the airplane before a fire could start. He said that there were only corn fields and he stalled the airplane about 10 feet above the ground during the precautionary landing. He stated that the airplane hit the ground and the shoulder harness attachment broke loose. The pilot/owner reported that the most recent annual condition inspection was performed on July 5, 1998.
Factual narrative
On September 16, 2002, at 1810 central daylight time, an amateur-built Bailey DSA-1, N304MB, owned and piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a precautionary landing after an oil line failure during flight. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The pilot was seriously injured. The local flight originated at 1800.
In a writtten statement the pilot said that the plastic oil line from the engine to the oil pressure gauge failed. He said that thick smoke and oil were present and he elected to land the airplane before a fire could start. He said that there were only corn fields and he stalled the airplane about 10 feet above the ground during the precautionary landing. He stated that the airplane hit the ground and the shoulder harness attachment broke loose.
The pilot/owner reported that the most recent annual condition inspection was performed on July 5, 1998.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N304MB
- Reported as
- Bailey DSA-1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 01
- Airframe hours
- 90
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Vincent M. Leonard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · July 5, 1998 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- AWG · Washington, IA
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
- 65
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 4, 2000
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,550 total · 90 in this make and model · 1,550 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- AWG
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.