20021104035339I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA31350 · Madison, WI · November 4, 2002

Date: November 4, 2002 · 08:30 local
Place: Madison, WI
Airport: Dane Co Regional-Truax Field
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N3591U
Reported as: Piper PA31350
Reported engine: Lycoming LTIO540J2BD
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 20,000 total1,000 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

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.

(-23) While in cruise, after departing mineral point, WI. The pilot observed a drop in oil pressure on the right engine and smoke coming from the right side. When oil pressure continued to drop, the pilot shut down the engine and landed at Madison, Wisconsin. Upon investigation, it was determined that the right engine suffered a catastrophic failure and an inflight fire occurred. After engine teardown and inspection, it was determined that the #1 cylinder connecting rod bearing failed. The NTSB was notified due to the inflight fire, and they advised this office they would not be participating in this investigation.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE IN CRUISE, AFTER DEPARTING MINERAL POINT, WI. THE PILOT OBSERVED A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE ON THE RIGHT ENGINE AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN OIL PRESSURE CONTINUED TO DROP, THE PILOT SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE AND LANDED AT MADISON, WISCONSIN. UPON INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AND AN INFLIGHT FIRE OCCURRED. AFTER ENGINE TEARDOWN AND INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE #1 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD BEARING FAILED. THE NTSB WAS NOTIFIED DUE TO THE INFLIGHT FIRE, AND THEY ADVISED THIS OFFICE THEY WOULD NOT BE PARTICIPATING IN THIS INVESTIGATION.