CHI93DEE02

The airplane's right engine lost power shortly after lift-off. The pilot said he attempted to feather the right engine propeller, but the propeller would not feather. He was unable to maintain altitude, and the airplane crashed just off the runway. Postaccident examination of the right engine disclosed a fractured/partially disintegrated piston in the number ten cylinder. The right engine's propeller feathering system was also inoperative.

History of flight

On June 27, 1993, at 1240 hours, central daylight time, a Douglas B-26B, N8036E, collided with the ground in a field adjacent to a taxiway at the Greater Kankakee Airport, Kankakee, Illinois, during takeoff on runway 04. The Airline Transport Pilot and single passenger received minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91, departing from an on-going airshow when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. A VFR flight plan had been filed. The pilot stated that at approximately 140 MPH he performed liftoff and immediately began losing substantial power on the right engine. The aircraft banked to the right and the right wingtip impacted the ground between the runway and taxiway.

Aircraft information

The aircraft, a single-pilot World War II bomber, is operated by the Collings Foundation as a display of past military aircraft.

Wreckage/impact information

The right propeller impacted 2 blade strikes on the northwest edge of the taxiway. The left propeller impacted eight blade strikes to the southeast side of the taxiway. The aircraft came to rest on a heading of 090 degrees, approximately 250 feet off the taxiway, in a wheat field.

The right wingtip received substantial damage to the outer 5 feet of the wing assembly and aileron.

The left propeller and engine nose case housing separated from the aircraft as a combined unit. They were recovered approximately 100 feet behind the aircraft's resting position, and approximately 25 feet to the right of the aircraft crash path.

An on-site external examination of the right engine and nacelle was performed.

The scavenge oil pump screen contained a substantial amount of ferrous and non-ferrous metal pieces. The screen was not plugged.

The pressure oil screen contained ferrous and non-ferrous metal particles. These particles were found in the lower layers of the screen assembly. They did not stop the flow of oil through the screens.

Pistons in cylinders of the front bank (8[master rod], 10,12,14,16) did not move with the crankshaft rotation.

Cylinder #10 has a hole in the side of the barrel, adjacent to cylinder #12. The connecting rod and piston assembly are not in place. Pieces of piston, piston pin, connecting rods (2), and a piece of the master connecting rod was removed through the hole in this cylinder.

Cylinder #12 has a dent in the side of the barrel adjacent to #10 cylinder. The spark plug electrodes contained substantial metal pieces. Pieces of piston ring were removed through the spark plug holes. An unidentified ferrous metal piece, not that of a piston ring, could not be removed through the spark plug hole.

A piece of a connecting rod was externally lodged between cylinders #10 and #9.

A broken piston pin was found above the spark plug of #11 cylinder.

The propeller control cable was not attached to the propeller governor control arm.

No visible external damage (dents) appeared to the feathering pump assembly. The motor brushes (4) were approximately 1/2 in long. The phenolic brush block mount was broken and did not allow 1 brush to make contact with the commutator of the feathering pump motor.

Fire

The fire was limited to the right engine and nacelle. It destroyed all electrical system wiring and relays, engine fluid and instrument lines and hoses, and the engine control mount at the firewall.