19940128005109I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA60600 · Middletown, PA · January 28, 1994

Date: January 28, 1994 · 01:23 local
Place: Middletown, PA
Airport: Harrisburg International Airport-Olmsted
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: BSYA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N90349
Reported as: Piper PA60600
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540K1J5
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,779 total490 in this make and model275 in the last 90 days

N90349Registered now · Smith AEROSTAR 600S/N 60-0202-090 · Built 1975 Airframe modelSmith AEROSTAR 600 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Narrative: the part 135 aircraft, a Piper PA60-600 was on an instrument flight plan from agc, allegheny, CO., PA to phl, philadelphia, PA in cruise flight at 5000' MSL when the pilot heard a loud bang from the right engine. The pilot secured the right engine and completed the emergency checklist. The pilot then contacted ATC and requested vectors to the nearest airport. An uneventful instrument approach and landing was made at MDT in freezing rain. Emergency vehicles accompanied the aircraft to the ramp. Maintenance personnel at MDT discovered the right engine top cowling and #3 engine cylinder and piston were missing from the engine. Further investigation by FAA personnel revealed the #3 cylinder became loose on the engine due to fatigue of the cylinder thru studs. Records indicated the thru studs had 10,242 hours time in service. Thru studs are not life limited parts. A service difficulty report was filed. Submission of this report closes this incident.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: THE PART 135 AIRCRAFT, A PIPER PA60-600 WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FROM AGC, ALLEGHENY, CO., PA TO PHL, PHILADELPHIA, PA IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 5000' MSL WHEN THE PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT SECURED THE RIGHT ENGINE AND COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST. THE PILOT THEN CONTACTED ATC AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. AN UNEVENTFUL INSTRUMENT APPROACH AND LANDING WAS MADE AT MDT IN FREEZING RAIN. EMERGENCY VEHICLES ACCOMPANIED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE RAMP. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AT MDT DISCOVERED THE RIGHT ENGINE TOP COWLING AND #3 ENGINE CYLINDER AND PISTON WERE MISSING FROM THE ENGINE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY FAA PERSONNEL REVEALED THE #3 CYLINDER BECAME LOOSE ON THE ENGINE DUE TO FATIGUE OF THE CYLINDER THRU STUDS. RECORDS INDICATED THE THRU STUDS HAD 10,242 HOURS TIME IN SERVICE. THRU STUDS ARE NOT LIFE LIMITED PARTS. A SERVICE DIFFICULTY REPORT WAS FILED. SUBMISSION OF THIS REPORT CLOSES THIS INCIDENT.

Other reports on N90349 · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19880211012599IGround Taxi, Other Airplane · Cincinnati, OHLanding gear switch inadvertently actuated in PIC haste to clear aircraft off taxiway.Feb 11, 1988 · Reported as Piper PA60600 · Minor damage Incident 19860909081499IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Binghamton, NYThe left engine failed during cruise. The pilot landed the aircraft gear up beside runway. Broken connecting rod.Sep 9, 1986 · Reported as Piper PA60600 · Minor damage Incident 19850731045219IOther Ground Ops · Pittsburgh, PAPilot reached up to turn off radios and inadvertently hit gear knob. Nose gear retracted.Jul 31, 1985 · Reported as Piper PA60600 · Minor damage