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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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NTSB Report

April 20, 1983 · Mooney M20K · N231KV

Trenton, NE

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 20, 1983
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (4 uninjured)
Location
Trenton, NE
Aircraft
Mooney M20K
Tail Number
N231KV
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
MKC83LA092

THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 11500 TO 12000 FT MSL WHEN THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LURCH. THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A ROUGHNESS. THE PLT SAID HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AT THIS TIME, THE PLT ADVISED DENVER ARTCC OF HIS EMERGENCY AND ASKED FOR LOCATIONS OF AIRPORTS IN THE VICINITY. THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED THAT THE TRENTON, NE ARPT WAS ABOUT 15 MILES BEHIND HIM. THE ACFT WAS TURNED TO A HEADING OF 80 DEGREES WHICH LATER WAS CHANGED TO 55 DEGREES. 5 MILES WEST OF TRENTON THE PLT RESPORTED THAT HE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE SHORT OF RWY 14. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THE CRANKSHAFT CLUSTER GEAR P/N 630690 WAS MISSING ABOUT 1/2 OF ITS TEETH THAT MESH WITH THE CAM SHAFT DRIVE GEAR. THE FAILURE WAS FOUND TO HAVE STARTED AS A FATIGUE TYPE FRACTURE IN ONE OF THE GEAR TEETH.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 11500 TO 12000 FT MSL WHEN THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD NOISE FOLLOWED BY A LURCH. THE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE DEVELOPED A ROUGHNESS. THE PLT SAID HE SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN AT THIS TIME, THE PLT ADVISED DENVER ARTCC OF HIS EMERGENCY AND ASKED FOR LOCATIONS OF AIRPORTS IN THE VICINITY. THE CONTROLLER RESPONDED THAT THE TRENTON, NE ARPT WAS ABOUT 15 MILES BEHIND HIM. THE ACFT WAS TURNED TO A HEADING OF 80 DEGREES WHICH LATER WAS CHANGED TO 55 DEGREES. 5 MILES WEST OF TRENTON THE PLT RESPORTED THAT HE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR DOWN ABOUT 1/2 MILE SHORT OF RWY 14. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THE CRANKSHAFT CLUSTER GEAR P/N 630690 WAS MISSING ABOUT 1/2 OF ITS TEETH THAT MESH WITH THE CAM SHAFT DRIVE GEAR. THE FAILURE WAS FOUND TO HAVE STARTED AS A FATIGUE TYPE FRACTURE IN ONE OF THE GEAR TEETH.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:00 MST
Nearest Airport1nm WNW
Runway14
Runway Length2600 ft
Runway Width280 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftMooney M20K
Tail NumberN231KV
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsContinental · TSIO-360-GB · Reciprocating · 210
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (4 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured4
Total4
Crew 1Age 36 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind110° @ 8 kt
Visibility15 sm
CeilingOvercast 25000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 48
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time22:50
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data