20030313003569A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA28R200 · Delta, CO · March 13, 2003

Date: March 13, 2003 · 12:25 local
Place: Delta, CO
Airport: Blake Field Airport
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N16438
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA050
Reported as: Piper PA28R200
Reported engine: Continental IO360*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,500 total350 in this make and model1 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) Pilot stated (Mr. Owen) at cruise approx. 8,000 feet, engine vibratedseverely and seemed to seize, (prop stopped). Smoke came out of engine area. Pilot stated they set up for an emergency landing. They stated they tried to make a dirt road, but unable to. A field was spotted, but had hills, Mr. Head told Mr. Owens, he had control of aircraft for crash landing. Aircraft came to rest in a blm field west of Delta, CO. Aircraft sustained substantial damage. Both pilots aboard sustained no injuries at time. The blm field stated is next to Delta correctional facility. This aircraft was testing a newly overhauled engine by western skyways, inc. of montrose, CO. Mr. Allen stated all ground tests checked good, so it was decided to go on with a test flight. Mr. Allen head is the western skyways, inc. president. Aircraft with engine are being transported to beagles for tear down inspection of engine to determine the cause. FAA will be present for this tear down of the engine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT STATED (MR. OWEN) AT CRUISE APPROX. 8,000 FEET, ENGINE VIBRATEDSEVERELY AND SEEMED TO SEIZE, (PROP STOPPED). SMOKE CAME OUT OF ENGINE AREA. PILOT STATED THEY SET UP FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THEY STATED THEY TRIED TO MAKE A DIRT ROAD, BUT UNABLE TO. A FIELD WAS SPOTTED, BUT HAD HILLS, MR. HEAD TOLD MR. OWENS, HE HAD CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT FOR CRASH LANDING. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN A BLM FIELD WEST OF DELTA, CO. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. BOTH PILOTS ABOARD SUSTAINED NO INJURIES AT TIME. THE BLM FIELD STATED IS NEXT TO DELTA CORRECTIONAL FACILITY. THIS AIRCRAFT WAS TESTING A NEWLY OVERHAULED ENGINE BY WESTERN SKYWAYS, INC. OF MONTROSE, CO. MR. ALLEN STATED ALL GROUND TESTS CHECKED GOOD, SO IT WAS DECIDED TO GO ON WITH A TEST FLIGHT. MR. ALLEN HEAD IS THE WESTERN SKYWAYS, INC. PRESIDENT. AIRCRAFT WITH ENGINE ARE BEING TRANSPORTED TO BEAGLES FOR TEAR DOWN INSPECTION OF ENGINE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. FAA WILL BE PRESENT FOR THIS TEAR DOWN OF THE ENGINE.

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 DEN03LA050Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDelta, COthe loss of engine power due to company maintenance personnel's inadequate major engine overhaul (an oil pressure fitting in the engine accessory drive case had not been capped). Contributing factors were the loss of engine oil, and lack of suitable terrain…Mar 13, 2003 · Substantial damage