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19961202036999A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA 46-350P · Myerstown, PA · December 2, 1996

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
December 2, 1996 · 15:21 local
Place
Myerstown, PA
Airport
Decks Airport
Phase of flight
Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N394PM
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC97LA024
Reported as
Piper PA46350P
Reported engine
Lycoming TIO540AE2A
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
1,924 total295 in this make and model64 in the last 90 days
N394PMRegistration cancelled Feb 6, 1997 · Piper PA 46-350PS/N 4622153Airframe modelPiper PA 46-350P

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.

Aircraft lost oil pressure and made emergency landing in a field. (.4) during the climb after takeoff, between 3,500 and 4,000 feet, the pilot noticed the engine oil pressure decreasing and the oil temperature increasing. The pilot advised the controller that he was experiencing a problem, and he was provided radar vectors to the nearest airport. During vectors, the engine failed, and oil covered the windshield and pilot's side window. Unable to see the airport, the pilot completed a forced landing to an open field, where the airplane impacted the ground. The engine had accumulated about 440 hrs of flight time, since it was last overhauled (by the manufacturer). Investigation revealed that remanufactured connecting rods had been installed. Examination of the engine revealed four of the six connecting rod bearings had melted at the crankshaft, and fatigue cracks were found on the number four connecting rod and end cap. When the connecting rod end cap retaining nuts were removed, rings of moderate wear and fretting were found in the nut recesses where the nuts contacted the rods. (.4)during the climb after takeoff, between 3,500 and 4,000 feet, the pilot noticed the engine oilaircraft lost oil pressure and made emergency landing in a field. (.4) during the climb after takeoff, between 3,500 and 4,000 feet, the pilot noticed the engine oil pressure decreasing and the oil temperature increasing. The pilot advised the controller that he was experiencing a problem, and he was provided radar vectors to the nearest airport. During vectors, the engine failed, and oil covered the windshield and pilot's side window. Unable to see the airport, the pilot completed a forced landing to an open field, where the airplane impacted the ground. The engine had accumulated about 440 hrs of flight time, since it was last overhauled (by the manufacturer). Investigation revealed that remanufactured connecting rods had been installed. Examination of the engine revealed four of the six connecting rod bearings had melted at the crankshaft, and fatigue cracks were found on the number four connecting rod and end cap. When the connecting rod end cap retaining nuts were removed, rings of moderate wear and fretting were found in the nut recesses where the nuts contacted the rods. Temperature increasing. The pilot advised the controller that he was experiencing a problem, and he was provided radar vectors to the nearest airport. During vectors, the engine failed, and oil covered the windshield and pilot's side window. Unable to see the airport, the pilot completed a forced landing to an open field, where the airplane impacted the ground. The engine had accumulated about 440 hrs of flight time, since it was last overhauled (by the manufacturer). Investigation revealed that remanufactured connecting rods had been installed. Examination of the engine revealed four of the six connecting rod bearings had melted at the crankshaft, and fatigue cracks were found on the number four connecting rod and end cap. When the connecting rod end cap retaining nuts were removed, rings of moderate wear and fretting were found in the nut recesses where the nuts contacted the rods.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT LOST OIL PRESSURE AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. (.4) DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, BETWEEN 3,500 AND 4,000 FEET, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DECREASING AND THE OIL TEMPERATURE INCREASING.THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM, AND HE WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. DURING VECTORS, THE ENGINE FAILED, AND OIL COVERED THE WINDSHIELD AND PILOT'S SIDE WINDOW. UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT COMPLETED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 440 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME, SINCE IT WAS LAST OVERHAULED (BY THE MANUFACTURER). INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT REMANUFACTURED CONNECTING RODS HAD BEEN INSTALLED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FOUR OF THE SIX CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS HAD MELTED AT THE CRANKSHAFT, AND FATIGUE CRACKS WERE FOUND ON THE NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD AND END CAP. WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD END CAP RETAINING NUTS WERE REMOVED, RINGS OF MODERATE WEAR AND FRETTING WERE FOUND IN THE NUT RECESSES WHERE THE NUTS CONTACTED THE RODS. (.4)DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, BETWEEN 3,500 AND 4,000 FEET, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE OILAIRCRAFT LOST OIL PRESSURE AND MADE EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. (.4) DURING THE CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, BETWEEN 3,500 AND 4,000 FEET, THE PILOT NOTICED THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DECREASING AND THE OIL TEMPERATURE INCREASING.THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM, AND HE WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. DURING VECTORS, THE ENGINE FAILED, AND OIL COVERED THE WINDSHIELD AND PILOT'S SIDE WINDOW. UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT COMPLETED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 440 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME, SINCE IT WAS LAST OVERHAULED (BY THE MANUFACTURER). INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT REMANUFACTURED CONNECTING RODS HAD BEEN INSTALLED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FOUR OF THE SIX CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS HAD MELTED AT THE CRANKSHAFT, AND FATIGUE CRACKS WERE FOUND ON THE NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD AND END CAP. WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD END CAP RETAINING NUTS WERE REMOVED, RINGS OF MODERATE WEAR AND FRETTING WERE FOUND IN THE NUT RECESSES WHERE THE NUTS CONTACTED THE RODS. TEMPERATURE INCREASING. THE PILOT ADVISED THE CONTROLLER THAT HE WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM, AND HE WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. DURING VECTORS, THE ENGINE FAILED, AND OIL COVERED THE WINDSHIELD AND PILOT'S SIDE WINDOW. UNABLE TO SEE THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT COMPLETED A FORCED LANDING TO AN OPEN FIELD, WHERE THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 440 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME, SINCE IT WAS LAST OVERHAULED (BY THE MANUFACTURER). INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT REMANUFACTURED CONNECTING RODS HAD BEEN INSTALLED. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED FOUR OF THE SIX CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS HAD MELTED AT THE CRANKSHAFT, AND FATIGUE CRACKS WERE FOUND ON THE NUMBER FOUR CONNECTING ROD AND END CAP. WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD END CAP RETAINING NUTS WERE REMOVED, RINGS OF MODERATE WEAR AND FRETTING WERE FOUND IN THE NUT RECESSES WHERE THE NUTS CONTACTED THE RODS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB NYC97LA024Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMyerstown, PAfatigue failure of the connecting rod to crankshaft attachments, due to inadequate overhaul of the engine by the manufacturer, which resulted in a loss of engine power and a forced landing. Factors relating to the accident included the discharge of oil from…Dec 2, 1996 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N394PM · 1

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

Incident 19950824033899IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Dillon, SCEngine siezed at FL170. Landed dead stick at dlc. Metal in oil, oil filter and screen. To be examined.Aug 24, 1995 · Minor damage