HONOLULU, HI, USA
N21DR
CONVAIR 440
AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PILOT CALLED FOR THE LANDING GEAR TO BE RAISED. AS THE PLANE WAS CLIMBING THROUGH ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE PILOT NOTED A LOSS OF POWER IN THE RIGHT ENGINE AND SAW A FIRE LIGHT. GROUND WITNESSES HEARD A MUFFLED EXPLOSION AND SAW SMOKE AND FIRE TRAILING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS FEATHERED AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE PLANE WAS DITCHED NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF PEARL HARBOR. A TEARDOWN OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE TOP RING LANDS OF THE NO. 10 AND NO. 14 PISTONS WERE BROKEN AND THE TOP RING WAS MISSING FROM EACH OF THE PISTONS. ALSO, THE REAR COUNTER- BALANCE DRIVE INTERMEDIATE GEAR WAS WORN AND 11 GEAR TEETH WERE MISSING. ADDITIONALLY, THE REAR COUNTERBALANCE DRIVE GEAR WAS WORN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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