20040415010709I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Port Lavaca, TX · April 15, 2004

Date: April 15, 2004 · 09:17 local
Place: Port Lavaca, TX
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N40SA
Reported as: Piper PA32260
Reported engine: Lycoming O540*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,700 total1,000 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N40SARegistered now · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-111 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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) While climbing to 5200 feet, the pilot experienced a loss of engine oil pressure and developed an engine oil leak from the engine compartment. The pilot then decided to perform an immediate emergency landing in an open field. The aircraft's main landing gear clipped a fence prior to landing. The pilot stated there was no substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot and passenger were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE CLIMBING TO 5200 FEET, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE AND DEVELOPED AN ENGINE OIL LEAK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO PERFORM AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT'S MAIN LANDING GEAR CLIPPED A FENCE PRIOR TO LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THERE WAS NO SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.