20040914023379A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31-350 · Sweeny, TX · September 14, 2004

Date: September 14, 2004 · 17:45 local
Place: Sweeny, TX
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N555MC
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04LA238
Reported as: Piper PA31350
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540J2BD
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,800 total25 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N555MCRegistration cancelled Mar 30, 2006 · Piper PA-31-350S/N 31-7752154 · Built 1977 Airframe modelPiper PA-31-350 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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) At about 1745 CST N555MC departed (T97) port lavaca, TX to (hou) houston, TX, after 25 minutes of flight time left engine quit. Left propeller assembly fell forward about 6 inches. Left engine was on fire from oil from engine. Pilot made a hard landing gear up in a field. Inspection of left engine showed that the number 1 piston connecting rod end cap had separated from the crankshaft causing a catastrophic engine failure where as the left propeller assembly, #1 cylinder, nose crankcase came separated from engine upon impact with ground. Back ground information see incident case privacy data omitted gear up landing.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AT ABOUT 1745 CST N555MC DEPARTED (T97) PORT LAVACA, TX TO (HOU) HOUSTON, TX, AFTER 25 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME LEFT ENGINE QUIT. LEFT PROPELLER ASSEMBLY FELL FORWARD ABOUT 6 INCHES. LEFT ENGINE WAS ON FIRE FROM OIL FROM ENGINE. PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING GEAR UP IN A FIELD. INSPECTION OF LEFT ENGINE SHOWED THAT THE NUMBER 1 PISTON CONNECTING ROD END CAP HAD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT CAUSING A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WHERE AS THE LEFT PROPELLER ASSEMBLY, #1 CYLINDER, NOSE CRANKCASE CAME SEPARATED FROM ENGINE UPON IMPACT WITH GROUND. BACK GROUND INFORMATION SEE INCIDENT CASE ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ GEAR UP LANDING.

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 FTW04LA238Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSweeny, TXThe fracture failure of the left engine crankshaft for undetermined reasons.Sep 14, 2004 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N555MC · 1

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

Incident 20011228037789ILevel Off Touchdown · Indianola, TX(-23) On December 28, 2001, the aircraft was landed gear up on a private runway near Indianola, Texas. There were no injuries to the pilot and one passenger. The aircraft sustained minor damage. The incident was not reported until January 23, 2002. According…Dec 28, 2001 · Minor damage