Cassutt II accident near Moses Lake, Washington, March 4, 2001
On March 4, 2001 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cassutt II, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N1431, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moses Lake, Washington. 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 a wrist pin plug in the engine, resulting in partial blockage of the engine lubrication system and partial failure of the engine connecting rod bearings; and the pilot's subsequent failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a forced landing approach, resulting in a stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2001 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Moses Lake, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cassutt II, amateur-built
- Registration
- N1431 · registry record · serial EM503
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while en route, "the oil pressure dropped rapidly followed by decreasing engine RPM." He stated that he decided to land on a frontage road for an interstate highway. During his approach, he "noticed a lot of dark smoke coming from the starboard side of [the] engine just as I was starting to turn final." The pilot reported , "During base to final turn airspeed was allowed to decay causing excessive sink rate and not completing the turn on centerline for landing." He stated that "touchdown was made in soft sand with high vertical speed causing [the aircraft's] landing gear to fail and [the] nose of [the] aircraft to get in the dirt." An FAA inspector who examined the aircraft after the accident observed that a wrist pin plug in the engine had failed, producing metal that entered the engine oil system and restricted oil flow to the crankshaft. The connecting rod bearings were also found severely distressed. The airplane had not been operated for approximately 17 years before the pilot purchased it shortly before the accident. The engine log contained no indication that the engine manufacturer's recommended engine preservation procedures for storage had been followed during this time period. However, the aircraft received a condition inspection about one month before the accident and was signed off as being found in a condition for safe operation.
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: 212 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 174 as pilot in command; 39 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 577 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 8, 2001; 3.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 825 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S70 Othello WA at 1:05 am
- Destination: EAT Wenatchee WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
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.