19960220002249I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Pledger, TX · February 20, 1996

Date: February 20, 1996 · 12:30 local
Place: Pledger, TX
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N492AG
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,300 total850 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N492AGRegistered now · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-40228 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 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: nearest fix: arm 285 deg 17 NM. Pilot statement; at 3500 ft. engine started running rough and the windshield was immediately covered with oil. I picked a field for a landing, and after landing I could not see what was in front of me. I turned to the right and I could see I was about to hit a fence. I steered harder on right rudder, and the aircraft started to slide and the front wheel broke off. Inspector statement; investigation revealed connecting rod bolt, p/n 75060 failed at number three cylinder, allowing the connecting rod to come through the case.

As the FAA filed it

NARRATIVE: NEAREST FIX: ARM 285 DEG 17 NM. PILOT STATEMENT; AT 3500 FT. ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND THE WINDSHIELD WAS IMMEDIATELY COVERED WITH OIL. I PICKED A FIELD FOR A LANDING, AND AFTER LANDING I COULD NOT SEE WHAT WAS IN FRONT OF ME. I TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND I COULD SEE I WAS ABOUT TO HIT A FENCE. I STEERED HARDER ON RIGHT RUDDER, AND THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO SLIDE AND THE FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF. INSPECTOR STATEMENT; INVESTIGATION REVEALED CONNECTING ROD BOLT, P/N 75060 FAILED AT NUMBER THREE CYLINDER, ALLOWING THE CONNECTING ROD TO COME THROUGH THE CASE.