# NTSB NYC99LA112: Abrams Titan Tornado, N194PA, Monroe, CT, May 16, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 16, 1999, 07:40 local (11:40 UTC) - Place: Monroe, CT - Location: 41.3326° N, 73.2073° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Monroe, CT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.3326&lon=-73.2073&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 46349 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC99LA112 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/46349/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC99LA112 ## Probable cause The failure of the magneto (mag) cylinder bearing resulting in a total loss of power and subsequent forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, cruise - engine assembly,bearing - failure (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Nose over, emergency landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis While in cruise flight, the homebuilt airplane's engine lost total power. During the forced landing, the airplane's left wing contacted the ground and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the engine revealed that the magneto (mag) cylinder connecting rod bearing had failed. Additionally, the 2-cycle engine had been manufactured as a snowmobile engine. ## Factual narrative On May 16, 1999, about 0740 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Titan Tornado, N194PA, was substantially damaged during a forced landing and collision with terrain in Monroe, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Twin Pine Airport, Pennington, New Jersey, about 0630, destined for the Waterbury-Oxford Airport, Oxford, Connecticut. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was owned and built by the pilot. In a written statement, the pilot said he was flying at 1,500 feet above the ground, when the airplane's engine "missed" once and then lost total power. The pilot stated the airplane was too low to attempt a restart, and he established a glide for landing. During the forced landing, the airplane's left wing contacted the ground and the airplane nosed over. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, revealed metallic particles inside the engine's crankcase. The engine was retained for further examination. The engine was reexamined on May 26, 1999, by an NTSB Investigator, the FAA Inspector, and a representative of the engine manufacturer. The examination revealed that the mag cylinder connecting rod bearing had failed. Additionally, the 2 cycle Rotax 583 engine had been manufactured as a snowmobile engine. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N194PA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N194PA-2010-12-01), registration cancelled 2010-12-01, S/N T93XXXCOHK0059, built 1994 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Abrams TITAN TORNADO (TITAN TORN) - Registry model: [Abrams Philip ABRAMS TITAN TORNADO](https://openairdocs.org/model/abrams-philip-abrams-titan-tornado) (registry code 05624GR) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: T93XXX60HK00 - Airframe hours: 394 - Engines: Rotax 583 96 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Philip K. Abrams - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 17, 1998, 55 hours before - Departed: N75, TWIN PINES, NJ - Destination: OXC, OXFORD, CT ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 1,596 total, 450 in this make and model, 1,535 as pilot in command, 49 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: DXR, 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990516005179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990516005179A), May 16, 1999: Amtr TITANTORNADO, Monroe, CT, Substantial damage. Acft crashed into a residential area under unknown circumstances. (From .19) on may 16, 1999, about 0740 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt titan tornado,… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.