- Date
- December 27, 1995, 09:52 local (15:52 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Dallas, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N135CStinson ST-108-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951227042569A
- Case key
- 19730
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 failure of the #6 connecting rod assembly. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing which resulted in a water landing.
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 reported that after takeoff, while climbing through 500 feet AGL, the engine 'experienced a dramatic and immediate power loss (70-80%) and began surging, all in the low RPM range.' During the emergency descent, he decided to 'ditch under control' in a lake to avoid descending into a residential area. Both occupants exited the airplane after the water landing, and swam to shore. The airplane subsequently submerged. During an engine teardown by the owner, it was discovered that the #6 connecting rod had 'failed.'
Factual narrative
On December 27, 1995, approximately 0952 central standard time, a Stinson ST-108-2, N135C, registered to, and operated by the student pilot under instruction, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, was destroyed during a forced landing to water following a loss of power after takeoff from a private airstrip, near Lake Dallas, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot-in-command, a certified flight instructor (CFI), received minor injuries and the student pilot was not injured. After practicing takeoffs and landings, the flight departed the airstrip about 2 minutes prior to the accident, and was en route to Addison Airport, Dallas, Texas.
The CFI reported the following information: After takeoff, while climbing through 500 feet above ground level, the engine "experienced a dramatic and immediate power loss (70-80%) and began surging, all in the low RPM range." The airplane could not sustain level flight. The student pilot was at the controls when the engine started to run rough; however, the CFI assumed control of the airplane during the emergency descent/landing. He attempted to return to the airstrip, however; "although the engine was still running, it was not developing any appreciable thrust." During the descent, he decided to "ditch under control" in a lake to avoid descending into a residential area. Both occupants exited the airplane after the water landing, and swam to shore. The airplane subsequently submerged.
During an engine teardown by the owner, it was discovered that the #6 connecting rod had "failed."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N135C
- Reported as
- Stinson ST-108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-5135
- Engine
- Franklin GA4-165-133, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bradford D. Bowen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 1, 1994 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- 30F
- Destination
- ADS · Addison, TX
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 504 total · 10 in this make and model · 340 as pilot in command · 103 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 13 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.