# NTSB SEA01LA057: Cassutt II, N1431, Moses Lake, WA, March 4, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 3, 2001, 17:30 local (Mar 4, 2001, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Moses Lake, WA - Coordinates: 47.189266, -119.300308 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.1893&lon=-119.3003&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 19, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Spokane FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 51874 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA01LA057 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/51874/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA01LA057 ## Probable cause Failure of a wrist pin plug in the engine, resulting in partial blockage of the engine lubrication system and partial failure of the engine connecting rod bearings; and the pilot's subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a forced landing approach, resulting in a stall. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - engine assembly,other - failure (cause) - lubricating system - blocked(partial) - engine assembly,bearing - failure,partial - Loss of control - in flight, emergency descent/landing - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall - encountered, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The pilot reported that while en route, "the oil pressure dropped rapidly followed by decreasing engine RPM." He stated that he decided to land on a frontage road for an interstate highway. During his approach, he "noticed a lot of dark smoke coming from the starboard side of [the] engine just as I was starting to turn final." The pilot reported , "During base to final turn airspeed was allowed to decay causing excessive sink rate and not completing the turn on centerline for landing." He stated that "touchdown was made in soft sand with high vertical speed causing [the aircraft's] landing gear to fail and [the] nose of [the] aircraft to get in the dirt." An FAA inspector who examined the aircraft after the accident observed that a wrist pin plug in the engine had failed, producing metal that entered the engine oil system and restricted oil flow to the crankshaft. The connecting rod bearings were also found severely distressed. The airplane had not been operated for approximately 17 years before the pilot purchased it shortly before the accident. The engine log contained no indication that the engine manufacturer's recommended engine preservation procedures for storage had been followed during this time period. However, the aircraft received a condition inspection about one month before the accident and was signed off as being found in a condition for safe operation. ## Factual narrative On March 3, 2001, approximately 1730 Pacific standard time, an experimental-category Cassutt II airplane, N1431, owned and being operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged in a loss of control and subsequent collision with terrain during a forced landing approach following a reported engine malfunction 2 miles west of Moses Lake, Washington. The pilot of the single-seat aircraft was not injured in the accident. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at Grant County International Airport, Moses Lake, Washington, at 1652, and no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR 91 personal flight from Othello, Washington, to Wenatchee, Washington. The pilot reported that while en route, "the oil pressure dropped rapidly followed by decreasing engine RPM." The pilot stated that he decided to land on a frontage road for Interstate Highway 90 (I-90). During his approach, he "noticed a lot of dark smoke coming from the starboard side of [the] engine just as I was starting to turn final." He stated that at the same time, he noticed oncoming traffic on the road about 2 to 3 miles away. The pilot reported , "During base to final turn airspeed was allowed to decay causing excessive sink rate and not completing the turn on centerline for landing." He stated that "touchdown was made in soft sand with high vertical speed causing [the aircraft's] landing gear to fail and [the] nose of [the] aircraft to get in the dirt." An FAA inspector who examined the aircraft after the accident reported that in his examination, he observed that a wrist pin plug in the airplane's Continental O-200-A engine had failed, producing metal that subsequently entered the engine oil system and restricted oil flow to the crankshaft. The FAA inspector reported that he also observed the connecting rod bearings to be severely distressed, but that the pilot had shut the engine down before complete failure of the rod bearings occurred. The FAA inspector reported that the pilot had bought the airplane a couple of months before the accident, and that the airplane had been stored for a long period of time (approximately 15 years) before the accident flight. The accident airplane was built in 1968. The engine log did not contain any entries between September 6, 1983 (when the engine oil was changed and the screens were cleaned) and December 31, 2000, when the engine oil was changed and the screen was checked. There was no indication in the engine log that the engine preservation procedures for stored aircraft specified by the engine manufacturer (as per Teledyne Continental Motors Service Bulletin M84-10 R1, Service Bulletin M91-5, and Service Information Letter 99-1) had been followed during the September 1983 to December 2000 time frame. The airplane received a condition inspection on February 8, 2001 by an inspection authorization (IA) mechanic, and was signed off by the IA mechanic as being found to be in a condition for safe operation. The pilot's logbook indicated that the pilot first flew the accident aircraft on February 18, 2001, and accomplished five flights in the accident aircraft totaling 3.1 hours from his first flight in the aircraft to the accident. The pilot reported that the engine total time was 1,675 hours, with 184 hours since overhaul. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N1431](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N1431), registered now, S/N EM503, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cassutt II - Registry model: [Cassutt II](https://openairdocs.org/model/cassutt-ii) (registry code 05601FE) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: EM503 - Airframe hours: 577 - Engines: Continental O-200-A 100 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, February 8, 2001, 3.5 hours before - Departed: S70, Othello, WA - Destination: EAT, Wenatchee, WA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 39; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review February 3, 2001; seat: center; flight hours: 212 total, 4 in this make and model, 174 as pilot in command, 8 in the last 90 days, 8 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.97 inHg - Observed at: MWH, 7 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 20010304003969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010304003969A), Mar 4, 2001: Moses Lake, WA, No damage. (-23) During cruise flight, engine lost power and began to emit smoke. Pilot shut down engine and attempted precautionary landing on road. Pilot failed to… 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.