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20060810017969A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-260 · Scottsbluff, NE · August 10, 2006

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 10, 2006 · 07:33 local
Place
Scottsbluff, NE
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N8741P
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN06LA112
Reported as
Piper PA24260
Reported engine
Lycoming IO540D4A5
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
512 total162 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days
N8741PRegistered now · Piper PA-24-260S/N 24-4192 · Built 1965Airframe modelPiper PA-24-260Engine 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) Airplane in cruise flight experienced a total loss of engine power. Airplane made an emergency landing in a field causing substantial damage to the undercarriage and airframe. Inspection of the engine revealed that the piston pin attachment and counterweight broke loose causing the engine to sieze. The engine had approximately 300 hours since overhaul. (-23 amendment) on August 10, 2006, approximately 0730 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260, N8741P, made a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near harrisburg, Nebraska. The flight departed garden city, Kansas, at 0645 central daylight time, and was destined for Douglas, Wyoming. According to the pilot, while in cruise flight approximately 8,500 feet mean sea level, the pilot heard a "loud bang" and the engine oil pressure decreased. Shortly thereafter, engine oil was noted on the windscreen and the engine lost power. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the forced landing. The private pilot, who was the registered owner and operator of the airplane, and passenger were not injured.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRPLANE IN CRUISE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. AIRPLANE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND AIRFRAME. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE PISTON PIN ATTACHMENT AND COUNTERWEIGHT BROKE LOOSE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO SIEZE. THE ENGINE HAD APPROXIMATELY 300 HOURS SINCE OVERHAUL. (-23 AMENDMENT) ON AUGUST 10, 2006, APPROXIMATELY 0730 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-24-260, N8741P, MADE A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT NEAR HARRISBURG, NEBRASKA. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED GARDEN CITY, KANSAS, AT 0645 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AND WAS DESTINED FOR DOUGLAS, WYOMING. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT APPROXIMATELY 8,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE PILOT HEARD A "LOUD BANG" AND THE ENGINE OIL PRESSURE DECREASED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ENGINE OIL WAS NOTED ON THE WINDSCREEN AND THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE REGISTERED OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE AIRPLANE, AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED.

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 DEN06LA112Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportHarrisburg, NEThe loss of engine power resulting from mechanical failure of a connecting rod for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Aug 10, 2006 · Substantial damage