Martin 404 N40445

Summary

On 15 May 1982 at about 20:20 local time, a Martin 404 registered N40445, operated by Clayton V. Curtis, was involved in an accident near Madera, California, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

15 May 1982 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Madera, California, United States

Nearest airport

Madera (MAE)

Coordinates

36.9104, -120.1907

Aircraft

Martin 404

Registration

N40445

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Clayton V. Curtis

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Madera → Casper

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX82FA174

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO TRAIL A BROWN SUBSTANCE. ABOUT 3 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DROPPED. THE PILOT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. WHEN HE THOUGHT THE RUNWAY WAS ATTAINABLE HE LOWERED THE FLAPS; HOWEVER, A LOSS OF POWER IN THE LEFT ENGINE OCCURRED AND A LANDING WAS MADE IN A WHEAT FIELD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED FAILURE OF THE FRONT MASTER ROD BEARING IN THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT AND EVIDENCE OF OIL STARVATION WAS APPARENT IN BOTH ENGINES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.