# NTSB ERA16LA328: North American T28, N526D, Greenwood, MS, September 23, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 23, 2016, 17:05 local (22:05 UTC) - Place: Greenwood, MS - Coordinates: 33.494167, -90.179443 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4942&lon=-90.1794&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: 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: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 94081 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA16LA328 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/94081/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94081 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16LA328 ## Probable cause A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [North American T-28C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=6402507), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [North American T-28C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=6402507), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [North American T-28C, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=6402507), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was conducting a local flight in the vintage military trainer airplane when the engine began to sputter and then experienced a total loss of power. He made an emergency landing in a farm field with the landing gear retracted and the airplane collided with a shallow drainage ditch. The engine separated from the firewall and came to rest under the right side of the fuselage. An undetermined amount of fuel was found in both wing fuel tanks. On-site examination of the engine revealed no mechanical failures; however, the engine was heavily impact damaged. No additional examination of the engine was performed and the reason for the power loss was not determined. ## Factual narrative On September 23, 2016, about 1705 central daylight time, a North American T-28C, N526D, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Greenwood, Mississippi. The commercial pilot was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Winona-Montgomery County Airport (5A6), Winona, Mississippi. According to the pilot, while on a local flight the airplane's engine began to "sputter" and then "quit." The pilot attempted an emergency landing with the landing gear retracted in a farm field. During the emergency landing the airplane collided with a shallow drainage ditch. The airplane came to rest upright, the engine separated from the firewall and was underneath the right side of the fuselage near the leading edge of the right wing. The airplane was manufactured in 1956 as a military trainer and was equipped with a Wright R-1820 series radial engine. It was issued a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) experimental exhibition special airworthiness certificate in 2013. An FAA inspector responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. There was substantial structural damage to the engine firewall and forward fuselage. An undetermined amount of fuel was discovered in both wing tanks. Examination of the radial engine revealed that it sustained heavy external damaged; however, no obvious preimpact mechanical failures were observed and no additional examination of the engine was performed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N526D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N526D-2021-01-15), registration cancelled 2021-01-15, S/N 140526, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN T28 (C) - Registry model: [North American T-28C](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-28c) (registry code 6402507) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Wright R-1820-86](https://openairdocs.org/engine/wright-r-1820-86) (registry code 67200, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 140526 - Year built: 1956 - Engines: WRIGHT R-1820-86 1425 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: 5A6, Winona, MS - Destination: 5A6, Winona, MS - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,500 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: GWO, 8 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 20160923015889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160923015889A), Sep 23, 2016: North American T-28C, Greenwood, MS, Substantial damage. Pilot stated he was flyign at 1200' AGL when the engine started to run rough. The engine appeared to get better then rough again. He started looking for a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 4, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=94081. 930 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 14 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486648&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector's Statement (item 2, .PDF, 19 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486649&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%27s%20Statement-Master.PDF - Memorandum Of Record FAA notes LA328 (item 3, .PDF, 106 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486650&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memorandum%20Of%20Record%20FAA%20notes%20LA328-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 4, .PDF, 5 photos, 791 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486651&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.