- Date
- October 24, 1985, 21:50 local (Oct 25, 1985, 02:50 UTC)
- Place
- Warren, AR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3399XMooney MK21
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851024056299A
- Case key
- 34108
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
At cruise level flt the plt rptd a malfunctioning engine. The plt was cleared to descend to an airport in the vicinity. The precautionary landing was initiated due to an oil pressure decline. Approaching for the landing the plt rptd the engine completely quit which made a landingat the airport impossible. A teardown inspection of the engine revealed that the number 1 connecting rod was broken with signs of extreme over heating to the point of melting and performing the connecting rod and cap. The rod bearing was severely worn to a point of being paper thin. The oil journal was clogged with metal debris. The lack of lubrication was confined to this cylinder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3399X
- Reported as
- Mooney MK21
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1106
- Airframe hours
- 3,442
- Engine
- Lycoming I0360 AIA, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Earl L.Kirkpatrick
- Registered owner
- Earl L. Kirkpatrick
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1984
- Departed
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
- Destination
- FTW · Forth Worth, TX
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,105 total · 540 in this make and model · 888 as pilot in command · 44 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBF, 32 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.