- Date
- August 20, 1993, 08:15 local (13:15 UTC)
- Place
- Washburn, ND
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4693YPiper PA-25-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 17, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930820030079A
- Case key
- 9149
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 loss of engine power due to a magneto failure.
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 pilot was maneuvering to make a spray run on an aerial application flight when the airplane lost all engine power. The pilot made a forced landing in the field, and struck two fence posts during landing roll. The engine examination revealed the impulse coupling flyweight in the left magneto had jammed and seized the magneto. The magneto drive gear and the camshaft gear were stripped.
Factual narrative
On August 20, 1993, at 0815 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235, N4693Y, operated by Central Flying Service, Inc., Washburn, North Dakota, sustained substantial damage when it struck two fence posts during landing roll following a forced landing near Washburn. The commercial pilot was not injured. No flight plan was filed for the aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the mishap.
The pilot reported he was maneuvering to commence an application run when the engine lost all power. He made a landing in the field, but struck two fence posts during landing roll.
The engine examination revealed the left magneto impulse coupling flyweight was jammed, and the magneto was seized. The impulse coupling was failed, and the magneto drive gear, and camshaft gears were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4693Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-25-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25-4424
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2C5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Central Flying Service, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 11, 1993 · 128 hours before
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
- 52
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 9,300 total · 325 in this make and model · 9,200 as pilot in command · 225 in the last 90 days · 30 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GFK, 40 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.
Other investigations on N4693Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.