- Date
- December 30, 1995, 10:25 local (15:25 UTC)
- Place
- Eastover, SC
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3750HMooney M20
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951230042789A
- Case key
- 37965
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
inadequate overhaul procedures by maintenance personnel resulting in an oil pump failure and subsequent loss of engine power.
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 noted a loss of oil pressure during flight followed by a loss of power. He executed a forced landing, and on final approach the airplane struck a guy wire. The engine oil pump was examined, and the oil pump driven gear had failed due to lack of lubrication. The #3 connecting rod and the camshaft then failed. The engine had been overhauled in the field previously, and a service instruction to increase lubrication of the oil pump driven gear had not been accomplished.
Factual narrative
On December 30, 1995, about 1025 eastern standard time, N3750H, a Mooney MO20, crashed in Eastover, South Carolina, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The airplane was substantially damaged and the private pilot received minor injuries. The flight had originated about 10 minutes earlier.
The pilot stated he noted a loss of oil pressure followed by a loss of power and he attempted a forced landing to a highway. On final approach the airplane struck a guy wire and came to rest in a ditch.
The engine was initially examined by an FAA inspector who removed the engine oil pump and shipped it to the manufacturer's facility for further examination. The oil pump was further examined and it was determined that the oil pump driven gear seized in the accessory housing. It was also noted that when the engine was overhauled in the field, about 1,167 hours earlier, Lycoming Service Instruction 1341 dated July 30, 1976, was not complied with. This service instruction directs that a hole be drilled in the housing to the driven gear, to allow better lubrication.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3750H
- Reported as
- Mooney M20
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 240922
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-A3BD6, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas Lagatore
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 18, 1995 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- CUB · Columbia, SC
- Destination
- CRE · Myrtle Beach, SC
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,831 total · 355 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE, 15 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.