Glasair SH2 N352GL

Summary

On 11 July 2018 at about 23:20 local time, a Glasair SH2 registered N352GL was involved in an accident near Passadumkeag, Maine, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2018 at 23:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Passadumkeag, Maine, United States

Coordinates

45.1864, -68.5689

Aircraft

Glasair SH2

Registration

N352GL

Category

Airplane

Year built

1995

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lincoln → Lincoln

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA190

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue fracture of the crankshaft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

While in cruise flight, the experimental, amateur-built airplane's engine started to run "rough" and lost partial power. The pilot checked the engine gauges, noted no irregularities, and unsuccessfully attempted to restore engine power by turning the fuel boost pump on. Within about 30 seconds of the initial power loss, the engine lost total power and the propeller stopped. The pilot performed a forced landing to a bog and the airplane came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the empennage. Disassembly and examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft had fractured at the No. 4 cylinder journal. Further examination of the fracture surface revealed fatigue striations consistent with fatigue crack propagation. These striations were finely spaced and exhibited changing or erratic thicknesses on different areas of the fracture surface, consistent with propagation through high-cycle fatigue. The reason for the crack initiation could not be determined. According to the engine maintenance log, the engine experienced a propeller strike during a landing incident about 5 years and 368 flight hours before the accident. The pilot elected not to have the propeller strike or sudden stoppage inspection performed, since it was not mandatory for non-certificated engines.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.