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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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June 23, 1989 · Colonial C-1 · N260B

Bremerton, WA

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 23, 1989
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Location
Bremerton, WA
Aircraft
Colonial C-1
Tail Number
N260B
Operator
John Wells Aviation Service
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
SEA89FA118

ABOUT 9 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE PLTS WERE MNVRG ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. AN EMERG LNDG WAS MADE IN THE ONLY AVAILABLE PLACE, A CLEAR CUT AREA OF AN EVERGREEN FOREST. DURING THE LNDG, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN & A STUMP. FUNCTIONAL TESTS REVEALED THAT BOTH MAGNETOS WOULD PRODUCE A SPARK AT AMBIENT TEMP, BUT THEY WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN HEATED TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMP. BEFORE THIS FLT, THE 1957 MODEL ACFT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR AN EXTDD PERIOD OF TIME. RECORDS SHOWED THAT AN ANNUAL INSPN HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON 4/3/87 AT 1294.3 HRS OF SVC. THE NEXT ANNUAL INSPN WAS JUST BEFORE THE ACDNT FLT AT 1294.8 HRS. THE COILS IN THE BENDIX S4LN-20 SERIES MAGNETOS INSTALLED IN THE ACFT WERE REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE 2000 HRS TIME-IN-SVC IAW AD 73-07-04 (ISSUED IN 1973) & BENDIX SVC BUL #560A. THE AD HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. NEITHER THE AD NOR THE SVC BUL SPECIFIED A CALENDAR TIME LIMIT FOR MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF THE MAGNETO COILS.

NTSB Probable Cause

MALFUNCTION OF BOTH MAGNETOS DUE TO DETERIORATION OF THE COILS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVE (NO CALENDAR TIME LIMITS), AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN (ROUGH/UNEVEN) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Full Narrative

ABOUT 9 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, AS THE PLTS WERE MNVRG ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER. AN EMERG LNDG WAS MADE IN THE ONLY AVAILABLE PLACE, A CLEAR CUT AREA OF AN EVERGREEN FOREST. DURING THE LNDG, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN & A STUMP. FUNCTIONAL TESTS REVEALED THAT BOTH MAGNETOS WOULD PRODUCE A SPARK AT AMBIENT TEMP, BUT THEY WOULD NOT OPERATE WHEN HEATED TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMP. BEFORE THIS FLT, THE 1957 MODEL ACFT HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR AN EXTDD PERIOD OF TIME. RECORDS SHOWED THAT AN ANNUAL INSPN HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON 4/3/87 AT 1294.3 HRS OF SVC. THE NEXT ANNUAL INSPN WAS JUST BEFORE THE ACDNT FLT AT 1294.8 HRS. THE COILS IN THE BENDIX S4LN-20 SERIES MAGNETOS INSTALLED IN THE ACFT WERE REQUIRED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE 2000 HRS TIME-IN-SVC IAW AD 73-07-04 (ISSUED IN 1973) & BENDIX SVC BUL #560A. THE AD HAD NOT BEEN COMPLIED WITH. NEITHER THE AD NOR THE SVC BUL SPECIFIED A CALENDAR TIME LIMIT FOR MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF THE MAGNETO COILS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time15:19 PDT
Nearest AirportBremerton (0nm N)
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftColonial C-1
Tail NumberN260B
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorJohn Wells Aviation Service
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320 · Reciprocating · 150
Seats3

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (1 fatality, 1 serious injury)
Fatal1
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 56 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind60° @ 10 kt
Visibility30 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point48
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time22:30
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data