- Date
- November 1, 2007, 17:14 local (21:14 UTC)
- Place
- Lafayette, IN
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5912QMooney M20E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration, Indianapolis FSDO
- FAA report
- 20071101827899A
- Case key
- 67274
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 improper installation of the connecting rod bolts during major overhaul, which resulted in the separation of the connecting rod from the crankshaft in flight. Contributing to the accident was the rising terrain encountered during touchdown and the subsequent landing gear collapse.
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 in cruise flight at 6,500 feet when the engine began to run roughly. The pilot verified both magnetos were functioning properly, switched fuel tanks, and manipulated the throttle without any improvement in engine operation. He informed air traffic control of the loss of engine power and was subsequently cleared to land at an airport about 8 nm north of his position. The engine continued to run roughly as he maneuvered for the airport. The airplane impacted rising terrain that preceded the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest within 100 feet of the threshold. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing and engine firewall. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed during the landing. The left main landing gear remained fully extended. Examination of the engine revealed that the number 3 cylinder had separated from the engine case. Further examination showed that the number 3 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod cap, two rod bolts, and two nuts were found separated inside the engine case. One of the rod bolts was bent and fractured approximately mid-span. One-half of this bolt remained with the rod cap. The bolt's fracture surface exhibited a cup/cone shape, consistent with an overload failure. The threaded region of this bolt was undamaged. One of the nuts had undamaged threads. The first three threads adjacent to the flat side of the remaining nut were damaged. The remaining rod bolt was intact, but the three threads from the end were damaged consistent with the damage noted on the second nut. The last engine overhaul was completed on November 19, 1972. The engine had accumulated 820 hours since that overhaul.
Factual narrative
The airplane was in cruise flight at 6,500 feet when the engine began to run roughly. The pilot verified both magnetos were functioning properly, switched fuel tanks, and manipulated the throttle without any improvement in engine operation. He informed air traffic control of the loss of engine power and was subsequently cleared to land at an airport about 8 nm north of his position. The engine continued to run roughly as he maneuvered for the airport. The airplane impacted rising terrain that preceded the runway threshold. The airplane came to rest within 100 feet of the threshold. The airplane received substantial damage to the right wing and engine firewall. The nose and right main landing gear collapsed during the landing. The left main landing gear remained fully extended. Examination of the engine revealed that the number 3 cylinder had separated from the engine case. Further examination showed that the number 3 connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft. The connecting rod cap, two rod bolts, and two nuts were found separated inside the engine case. One of the rod bolts was bent and fractured approximately mid-span. One-half of this bolt remained with the rod cap. The bolt's fracture surface exhibited a cup/cone shape, consistent with an overload failure. The threaded region of this bolt was undamaged. One of the nuts had undamaged threads. The first three threads adjacent to the flat side of the remaining nut were damaged. The remaining rod bolt was intact, but the three threads from the end were damaged consistent with the damage noted on the second nut. The last engine overhaul was completed on November 19, 1972. The engine had accumulated 820 hours since that overhaul.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5912Q
- Reported as
- Mooney M20E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 821
- Airframe hours
- 1,794.4
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A1A, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- G & W Aviation, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2007
- Departed
- PPO · La Porte, IN
- Destination
- M91 · Springfield, TN
- Airport
- LAF · Purdue University Airport, runway 5, 4,225 × 1,288 ft, asphalt
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
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 855 total · 46 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- LAF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.