- Date
- February 1, 1992, 14:29 local (20:29 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, MS
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3500ZAero Mercantil Gavilan 358 EL-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920201028699A
- Case key
- 33059
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
Fatigue failure of the crankshaft due to improper engine assembly by the manufacturer.
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
While descending to land, the eng quit. Attempts to restart were unsuccessful. The acft collided with trees during the landing roll following the forced landing. The acft was recovered & taken to a facility where the eng was removed for examination. Examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft failed near the rear main bearing. Also, evidence indicates that the rear main bearing spun in its support and was partially extruded into the accessory section. Examination of the crankcase halves adjacent to the rear main bearing indicated fretting. The eng had accumulated 174 hrs since new. Metallurgical examination of the crankshaft revealed that it failed due to high cycle fatigue.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3500Z
- Reported as
- Aero Mercantil Gavilan 358 EL-1 (GAVILAN 35)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- LA-P-001
- Airframe hours
- 174
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-W2A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Operator
- Aero Mercantil S.A.
- Registered owner
- Aero Mercantil S.A.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- LHV · Lock Haven, PA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 13,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBM, 10 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.