# NTSB ERA18LA110: Besarick Skybolt, N27265, Punta Gorda, FL, March 17, 2018

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: March 17, 2018, 14:24 local (18:24 UTC)
- Place: Punta Gorda, FL
- Coordinates: 26.971111, -81.96083 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.9711&lon=-81.9608&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report May 29, 2019
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 96895
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA18LA110
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96895/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96895
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA110

## Probable cause

A substantial oil leak, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and failure of the No. 2 connecting rod.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Fluids: oil](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 174 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng oil sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Malfunction (probable cause); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/cases.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 130 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/cases.md)
- [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md)
- [Terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/cases.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 267 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021000/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 (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Besarick SKYBOLT, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05655B8), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot was flying the airplane on the first flight of a 10-hour break-in period after an engine overhaul. The preflight inspection and ground operations were normal, with no signs of oil leaks. About 35 minutes into the flight, oil appeared on both windscreens, blocking the pilot’s forward visibility; the windscreens eventually became completely covered with oil. The pilot contacted tower personnel, who cleared him to land. The engine then lost partial power. Tower personnel reported smoke coming from the engine. Unable to make the runway, the pilot chose to land the airplane in a field. After landing, the airplane collided with a ditch and came to rest. The engine caught fire, and the pilot egressed the airplane. A postcrash fire consumed most of the wreckage. Examination of the engine revealed a large hole in the top of the engine case adjacent to the No. 2 cylinder. The No. 2 connecting rod was fractured at the crankshaft. The connecting rod failure was likely the result of oil starvation to the crankshaft. Extensive postcrash fire damage to the engine, hoses, and accessories prevented investigators from determining the source of the oil leak.

## Factual narrative

On March 17, 2018, about 1424 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Skybolt, N27265, was destroyed following a forced landing near Punta Gorda, Florida. The commercial pilot had minor injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations part 91 as a personal flight. Day, visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for local flight that originated at Punta Gorda Airport (PGD), Punta Gorda, Florida, about 1330.The pilot reported that the Lycoming O-360 series engine that was installed on the aerobatic biplane had just been overhauled and he was flying in the local area as part of a 10-hr break-in period. This was the first flight following the overhaul. The preflight inspection and ground operations were normal. There were no signs of oil leaks during the preflight inspection. About 35 minutes into the flight, oil appeared on both windscreens, blocking forward visibility. The windscreens eventually became completely covered with oil. He called tower personnel, alerting them to the problem and was cleared to land on runway 22. The engine lost power; however, it continued to run under partial power. Tower personnel reported smoke coming from the engine. Unable to make runway 22, he elected to land the airplane in a field. After landing, the airplane collided with a ditch and came to a stop. The engine caught fire and the pilot egressed the airplane. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. Fire consumed the entire airframe except for the outboard sections of the right wings. The engine was examined and a hole was observed in the top of the crankcase, adjacent to the no. 2 cylinder. Following the recovery of the wreckage, the engine was examined by an NTSB air safety investigator. The engine remained attached to the engine mount, and the engine mount was attached to the firewall. All sections and components of the engine were exposed to postcrash heat and fire. The oil filter was secure and the safety wire was installed and in place. All accessories on the aft section of the engine were fire-damaged. All surfaces were dry and no residual oil was present. All lines and hoses were burned or melted. The carburetor was separated from impact forces. A rectangular-shaped hole was evident on the top of the engine case, adjacent to the no. 2 cylinder. The area around the hole was dry and there was no residual oil observed. Visual examination inside the case hole revealed the no. 2 connecting rod was fractured at the crankshaft. There was no residual oil on the components; however, the entire area was exposed to postcrash heat and fire. The other connecting rods were attached to the crankshaft.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N27265](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N27265-2018-08-23), registration cancelled 2018-08-23, S/N WHB-2, built 1981 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BESARICK SKYBOLT (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Besarick SKYBOLT](https://openairdocs.org/model/besarick-skybolt) (registry code 05655B8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: WHB-2
- Year built: 1981
- Airframe hours: 2361
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, February 20, 2018, 1 hours before
- Departed: PGD, Punta Gorda, FL
- Destination: PGD, Punta Gorda, FL
- Airport: PGD, Punta Gorda Airport, runway 22, 7,193 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 76; injuries: minor; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 13, 2017; seat: rear; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,935 total, 399 in this make and model, 3,200 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: PGD, 4 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 20180317000199A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180317000199A), Mar 17, 2018: Besarick SKYBOLT, Punta Gorda, FL, Destroyed. On March 17, 2018, at 1324 EDT, an amateur built, w. Besarick, Skybolt, N27265, [privacy data omitted] made an emergency landing after experiencing engine…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 8, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96895. 8.8 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 484 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470220&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF
- Pilot's Written Statement (item 2, .PDF, 215 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470221&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%27s%20Written%20Statement-Master.PDF
- Engine Overhaul Records (item 3, .PDF, 3.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470222&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Overhaul%20Records-Master.PDF
- Photo Array (item 4, .PDF, 12 photos, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40470223&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.

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