# NTSB WPR13LA321: Raytheon A36, N517DJ, Fallon, NV, July 10, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 10, 2013, 04:45 local (11:45 UTC) - Place: Fallon, NV - Coordinates: 39.499168, -118.748886 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4992&lon=-118.7489&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 4 minor - Status: Completed, report August 11, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration, Continental Motors, Inc. - NTSB case key (mKey): 87437 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13LA321 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87437/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87437 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA321 ## Probable cause A fatigue failure of the No. 5 connecting rod, which resulted in a catastrophic engine failure during the initial climb and a subsequent forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause) - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during climbout, when the airplane was about 1,000 ft above ground level, the engine lost power. The pilot subsequently maneuvered the airplane to attempt to land on the departure runway. The airplane touched down short of the runway in rough, desert terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the No. 5 connecting rod cap and one of its two bolts had fractured midlength; the opposite bolt was intact with the nut still fastened. Metallurgical examination revealed that the No. 5 connecting rod had failed due to a fatigue crack that had initiated on the outer surface of the nut-facing boss. The crack propagated inward until the final cross-section of the connecting rod yoke failed in overstress, which then catastrophically breeched the left side of the engine case. The fatigue crack did not show any material imperfections; however, the surface finish of the boss where the fatigue crack initiated was consistent with it having been shot peened. Although shot peening is performed to impart compressive stresses to prevent fatigue crack initiation, excessive peening times may sufficiently alter the surface to create stress concentrators. However, the configuration of the fractured rod yoke precluded any accurate surface roughness measurements and, therefore, it could not be determined if improper surface modification had occurred. ## Factual narrative The airplane was a Beech A36, serial number E-3075. The operator reported that at the time of the accident, the airplane had a total airframe time of 1,294 hours. The logbooks contained an entry for an annual inspection dated June 26, 2013. The tachometer read 1,280.1 hours at the last inspection. The tachometer read 1,298.7 hours at the accident scene. The engine was a Continental Motors IO-550, serial number 281690-R. Total time recorded on the engine at the last 100-hour inspection was 5,364.9 hours, and time since major overhaul was 282.3 hours. On July 10, 2013, about 0445 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Raytheon Aircraft Company, A36, N517DJ, experienced a catastrophic engine failure during initial climb out, resulting in an off airport landing near Fallon Municipal Airport (FLX), Fallon, Nevada. Silver Sage Aviation was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. The commercial pilot and three passengers sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country business flight was departing Fallon, with a planned destination of Dixie Valley, Nevada. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that during climb out about 1,000 feet above ground level the airplane engine lost power, and he attempted to return to FLX. He was unable to make it, and made a forced landing in the desert adjacent to FLX. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. Investigators examined the wreckage at Air Transport, Phoenix, Arizona, on July 30, 2013. The airframe was examined with no mechanical anomalies identified. The engine examination revealed that the number five connecting rod cap and one of the bolts had fractured at midlength, whereas, the opposite bolt was intact with the nut still fastened. The resulting failure continued with a catastrophic breech to the left side of the engine case between the number six and four cylinders. There were no indications of any oil starvation in the engine. There was no assembly discrepancies noted during the examination. The engine was able to be rotated, and continuity was established from the front of the engine to the rear. The airplane was equipped with a JPI 800 engine monitoring system. The unit was removed from the airplane to be sent to the NTSB laboratory for download. The report indicated no abnormalities noted prior to the engine failure. The number five and number six connecting rods, rod end caps, and bolts were sent to the NTSB materials laboratory for further examination. The factual report of the NTSB materials laboratory examination of the engine components is in the accident docket. Examination revealed that the fracture surfaces were a result of fatigue failure of the number five connecting rod. The airplane came to rest approximately 600 feet from the departure end of runway 03. The accident site wasflat desert terrain. The wreckage was documented at the accident site and recovered. During recovery of the airplane, it was noted that there was a breach of the engine case adjacent to the number five cylinder. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event) - [Emergency descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N517DJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N517DJ), registered now, S/N E-3075, built 1997 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: RAYTHEON AIRCRAFT COMPANY A36 - Registry model: [Raytheon A36](https://openairdocs.org/model/raytheon-a36) (registry code 7150001) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental IO-550 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-550-series) (registry code 17042, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: E-3075 - Airframe hours: 1294 - Engines: CONT MOTOR IO-550 SERIES 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Dan Urquhart, doing business as Silver Sage Aviation - Registered owner: Dan Urquhart - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 26, 2013, 18 hours before - Departed: FLX, Fallon, NV - Destination: NV30, Dixie Vally, NV - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FLX, Fallon Municipal Airport, runway 03, 5,703 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 65; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 1, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 10,000 total, 9,000 in this make and model, 116 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: NFL, 5 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 20130710013309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130710013309A), Jul 10, 2013: Raytheon Aircraft Company A36, Fallon, NV, Substantial damage. On July 10, 2013, about 0445 pacific daylight time (PDT), a Raytheon Aircraft Company, A36, N517DJ, during initial climbout experienced a catastrophic engine… ## Docket (10 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 18, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87437. 11.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428208&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - NTSB Materials Laboratory Factual Report (item 2, .PDF, 10 photos, 3.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428209&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - Engine Monitor - Specialist's Factual Report (item 3, .PDF, 239 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403409&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Monitor%20-%20Specialist%27s%20Factual%20Report-Master.PDF - NTSB Engine Examination Report (item 4, .PDF, 12 photos, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428210&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=NTSB%20Engine%20Examination%20Report-Master.PDF - CMI Engine Field Inspection Report w/photos (item 5, .PDF, 5.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428211&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=CMI%20Engine%20Field%20Inspection%20Report%20w%2Fphotos-Redacted.PDF - Engine Monitor - Attachment 1 - Accident Flight - Tabular Data (CSV) (item 6, .CSV, 8 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403410&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Engine%20Monitor%20-%20Attachment%201%20-%20Accident%20Flight%20-%20Tabular%20Data%20(CSV)-Master.csv - Engine Monitor - Attachment 2 - Flight on 7/9/2013 - Tabular Data (CSV) (item 7, .CSV, 4 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403411&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Engine%20Monitor%20-%20Attachment%202%20-%20Flight%20on%207%2F9%2F2013%20-%20Tabular%20Data%20(CSV)-Master.csv - Engine Monitor - Attachment 3 - Flight on 7/8/2013 - Tabular Data (CSV) (item 8, .CSV, 6 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403412&FileExtension=.csv&FileName=Engine%20Monitor%20-%20Attachment%203%20-%20Flight%20on%207%2F8%2F2013%20-%20Tabular%20Data%20(CSV)-Master.csv - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 9, .PDF, 226 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428212&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 10, .PDF, 144 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40428213&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF 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.