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20030316003639A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-180 · Enterprise, AL · March 16, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 16, 2003 · 16:15 local
Place
Enterprise, AL
Airport
Enterprise Municipal
Phase of flight
Practice Training Manuevers
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N7635J
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL03LA054
Reported as
Piper PA28R180
Reported engine
Lycoming IO360B1E
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
4,250 total250 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days
N7635JRegistered now · Piper PA-28R-180S/N 28R-31032 · Built 1969Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-180Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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) Pilots stated that shortly after beginning a maneuver (practicing a steep spiral) over a selected site, they noticed that the prop RPM had gone from the selected 2400 RPM to 2700 RPM. When they could not control the propeller they headed for the Enterprise airport. They immediately checked oil pressure and saw no indication of any oil pressure. They then started looking for an off field landing site and made an advisory call for emergency landing. Within seconds, the engine seized and by that time the windshield was covered with oil making it difficult to see straight ahead. They identified an open grass field and ron reynolds took control of the airplane. The gear was lowered and the flaps put to full down. Upon touch down, the airplane kept straight on roll out until the last moment when it spun 120 degrees to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to left and right wings, landing gear, fuselage, and propeller. There were no injuries. A preliminary inspection indicated an excessive oil leak around the front area of the engine.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOTS STATED THAT SHORTLY AFTER BEGINNING A MANEUVER (PRACTICING A STEEP SPIRAL) OVER A SELECTED SITE, THEY NOTICED THAT THE PROP RPM HAD GONE FROM THE SELECTED 2400 RPM TO 2700 RPM. WHEN THEY COULD NOT CONTROL THE PROPELLER THEY HEADED FOR THE ENTERPRISE AIRPORT. THEY IMMEDIATELY CHECKED OIL PRESSURE AND SAW NO INDICATION OF ANY OIL PRESSURE. THEY THEN STARTED LOOKING FOR AN OFF FIELD LANDING SITE AND MADE AN ADVISORY CALL FOR EMERGENCY LANDING. WITHIN SECONDS, THE ENGINE SEIZED AND BY THAT TIME THE WINDSHIELD WAS COVERED WITH OIL MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THEY IDENTIFIED AN OPEN GRASS FIELD AND RON REYNOLDS TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. THE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND THE FLAPS PUT TO FULL DOWN. UPON TOUCH DOWN, THE AIRPLANE KEPT STRAIGHT ON ROLL OUT UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT WHEN IT SPUN 120 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS, LANDING GEAR, FUSELAGE, AND PROPELLER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A PRELIMINARY INSPECTION INDICATED AN EXCESSIVE OIL LEAK AROUND THE FRONT AREA 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 ATL03LA054Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEnterprise, ALThe loss of engine power due to oil starvation resulting from a crack in the propeller governor external oil line. A factor was the soft terrain.Mar 16, 2003 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7635J · 2

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

Incident 20000817027179ILevel Off Touchdown · Marianna, FL(-23)Pilot stated that during a routine flight with a demonstaion landing, he failed to lower the landing gear. Pilot said he realized to late that the gear was not down, and was unable to do anything but a gear up landing. Pilot said that the auto extension…Aug 17, 2000 · Minor damageIncident 19810104009999IFinal Approach · Pensacola, FLAfter copilot made a successful check ride the pilot took controll and made a hard landing.Jan 4, 1981 · Reported as Piper PA28R200 · Minor damage