# Accident 19960213001679A: Piper PA32300, Windermere, FL, February 13, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 13, 1996, 13:04 local time
- Place: Windermere, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 28.4897° N, 81.5300° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.4897&lon=-81.5300&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8951N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8951N-2013-05-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- Reported engine: LYC IO540K1A5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,755 total, 26 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL96TA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96TA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960213001679A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

PUBLIC USE FOR FORESTERY SERVICE ON A FIRE SPOTTING MISSION, ENGINE ROUGH, OIL ON WINDSCREEN LANDED IN ORANGE GROVE                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             (.4)THE FLIGHT DEPARTED KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA, ON A FOREST FIRE SPOTTING MISSION. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE LANDED IN AN ORANGE GROVE, STRIKING A TREE. AN ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT IMPROPER CONNECTING ROD BOLTS HAD BEEN USED IN THE ENGINE. THE BOLTS IN TWO CONNECTING RODS FAILED, RESULTING IN THE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE BOLTS WERE MANUFACTURED IN THE '80S AND BECAME AVAILABLE IN THE U.S. MARKET IN FEBRUARY 1994. THE BOLTS WERE OBTAINED BY A REPAIR STATION ON JUNE 1994 AND INSTALLED IN CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLIES THAT WERE IN STORAGE. THE OVERHAUL DATE ON THE WORK ORDER FOR THE STORED ROD ASSEMBLIES WAS NOT CHANGED AT THAT TIME, AND IT CONTINUED TO INDICATE AN OVERHAUL DATE OF 2/9/94. THE STORED ROD ASSEMBLIES WERE THEN INSTALLED IN THE ENGINE DURING AN OVERHAUL IN OCTOBER 1994. IN MARCH 1995, AN AD WAS ISSUED TO INSPECT ENGINES WITH CONNECTING ROD BOLTS INSTALLED ON OR SINCE 2/15/94. THE AD WAS NOT COMPLIED WITH ON THE ENGINE BECAUSE THE REPAIR STATION CERTIFIED THAT THE ROD ASSEMBLIES HAD BEEN OVERHAULED ON 2/9/94, BEFORE THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE AD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL96TA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL96TA047), Feb 13, 1996: Piper PA-32-300 (N8951N), Windermere, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the use of improper connecting rod bolts, failure of the overhaul facility to record the correct overhaul date on the work orders for the stored connecting rod assemblies, and subsequent failure of…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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