# Incident 20020224005119I: Piper PA28R201, Franklincounty, NC, February 24, 2002

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 24, 2002, 13:48 local time
- Place: Franklincounty, NC
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0828° N, 78.2857° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Franklin County, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0828&lon=-78.2857&mi=10
- Aircraft: N808VT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N808VT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28R-201 (registry code 7102816, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-201) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28R201
- Reported engine: CONT IO360*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020224005119I

## Narrative

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

(-23) AIRCRAFT N808VT DEPARTED PUNTA GORDA FL. (PGD) EN ROUTE TO ANNAPOLIS MD. (ANP). AFTER A FUEL STOP IN HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC. (49J), THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT TIM SULLIVAN PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD LOCATED IN FRANKLIN COUNTY NC. 2.6 MILES SHORT OF THE LOUISBURG AIRPORT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURIED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT DAMAGED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO THE LOUISBURG AIRPORT BY RICK PAHNKE (DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE OF FIRST IN FLIGHT AVIATION). NEIL BUCHANAN (MECHANIC EMPLOYED BY FIRST IN FLIGHT AVIATION) ACCOMPLISHED THE ENGINE DISASSEMBLY AND INSPECTION. HE REPORTED THAT THE #1 INTAKE VALVE HAD BROKEN AT THE STEM AND DROPPED INTO THE CYLINDER CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE #1 PISTON AND CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEBRIS FROM THE #1 INTAKE VALVE TRAVELED TO THE #4 CYLINDER THROUGH THE INTAKE TUBE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE #4 PISTON AND CYLINDER ASSEMBLY. THE #2 AND #3 CYLINDERS, PISTONS AND VALVES WERE NOT DAMAGED. REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE RECORDS DO NOT IDENTIFY ANY ENGINE DISCREPANCIES SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION ACCOMPLISHED IN OCTOBER OF 2001.

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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