Amateur-built Pulsar accident near Bentleyville, Pennsylvania, June 23, 2002
On June 23, 2002 at about 3:27 pm local time, a amateur-built Pulsar, registered N5123B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bentleyville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the MAG cylinder rod bearing, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor in the damage to the airplane was the terrain condition of the forced landing field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2002 · about 3:27 pm local time
- Place
- Bentleyville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Pulsar
- Registration
- N5123B · registry record · serial 170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route, the airplane's engine lost power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a hayfield. Examination of the two-stroke Rotax engine revealed that the lower MAG cylinder connecting rod bearing had failed, and portions of it, in the form of metallic debris were observed in the chamber beneath the MAG cylinder. Further disassembly of the engine revealed debris damage on the MAG cylinder piston dome and combustion chamber, as well as the crankcase, the rotary valve and drive shaft gear.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 660 hours in all; 550 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 21, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 550 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 2001
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WAY Waynesburg PA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: P53 Monongahela PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.27 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from AGC, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.