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19980505008419A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-38-112 · Omaha, NE · May 5, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
May 5, 1998 · 17:34 local
Place
Omaha, NE
Airport
Offutt Afb
Phase of flight
Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N24435
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI98LA140
Reported as
Piper PA38112
Reported engine
Lycoming O235L2C
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
108 total56 in this make and model19 in the last 90 days
N24435Registration cancelled Jul 28, 1999 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-79A1121Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112

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.

Impacted terrain when engine quit on takeoff. (.4)a total loss of engine power was experienced during an initial takeoff climb. A forced landing was made on a levee during which time the airplane was substantially damaged. The investigation revealed a fatigue failure of the crankshaft at the #3 main bearing journal on the Lycoming O-235-L2C engine. The nature of the failure indicated the #3 bearing spun due to undetermined reasons. The airplane had been involved in two propeller strike incidents. The engine was not overhauled after either of these incidents. Lycoming service letter L163C recommends removal, disassembly and inspection of the engine after propeller strikes. (-23)on may 5, 1998, approxiamtely 1706 CDT, Piper PA-38-112, N24435, departed Offutt Afb, Nebraska, for operation under FAR part 91. While passing through 1700' MSL, the PIC experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power. Following several unsuccessful attempts to restart the engine, the aircraft was forced to land in a field approxiamtely 2.5 miles northwest of Offutt Afb. The aircraft, owned and operated by the Offutt aero club, exp rienced substantial damage to the fuselage and wing assemblies. No injuries were reported by the PIC and single passenger. Subsequent investigation disclosed a failure of the center main bearing journal of the Lycoming O-235-L2C crankshaft assembly, p/n LW-12697.

As the FAA filed it

IMPACTED TERRAIN WHEN ENGINE QUIT ON TAKEOFF. (.4)A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS EXPERIENCED DURING AN INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A LEVEE DURING WHICH TIME THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED A FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT AT THE #3 MAIN BEARING JOURNAL ON THE LYCOMING O-235-L2C ENGINE. THE NATURE OF THE FAILURE INDICATED THE #3 BEARING SPUN DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO PROPELLER STRIKE INCIDENTS. THE ENGINE WAS NOT OVERHAULED AFTER EITHER OF THESE INCIDENTS. LYCOMING SERVICE LETTER L163C RECOMMENDS REMOVAL, DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AFTER PROPELLER STRIKES. (-23)ON MAY 5, 1998, APPROXIAMTELY 1706 CDT, PIPER PA-38-112, N24435, DEPARTED OFFUTT AFB, NEBRASKA, FOR OPERATION UNDER FAR PART 91. WHILE PASSING THROUGH 1700' MSL, THE PIC EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. FOLLOWING SEVERAL UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A FIELD APPROXIAMTELY 2.5 MILES NORTHWEST OF OFFUTT AFB. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE OFFUTT AERO CLUB, EXP RIENCED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND WING ASSEMBLIES. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED BY THE PIC AND SINGLE PASSENGER. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED A FAILURE OF THE CENTER MAIN BEARING JOURNAL OF THE LYCOMING O-235-L2C CRANKSHAFT ASSEMBLY, P/N LW-12697.

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 CHI98LA140Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOmaha, NEThe fatigue failure of the crankshaft which resulted from a spun bearing and the low altitude at which the loss of engine power occurred. A factor in the accident was the embankment on which the airplane was landed.May 5, 1998 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N24435 · 2

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

Incident 19971002032829ILevel Off Touchdown · Omaha, NENarrative: on October 2, 1997, while approaching Offutt Afb for a landing; student pilot, ann m. dush, applied full flaps while on the base leg to landing. While on the final approach Ms. Dush stated her airspeed appeared too slow and altitude too low, so she…Oct 2, 1997 · Minor damageIncident 19930503015819ITakeoff Ground Roll · Murray, NEInstructor applied full nose up elevator and applied power. Became airborne prematurely. Bounced. Stopped in field.May 3, 1993 · Minor damage