# Accident 20060810017969A: Piper PA24260, Scottsbluff, NE, August 10, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 10, 2006, 07:33 local time
- Place: Scottsbluff, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.5544° N, 103.7403° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5544&lon=-103.7403&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8741P, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8741P) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-24-260 (registry code 7102406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA24260
- Reported engine: LYC IO540D4A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 512 total, 162 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN06LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN06LA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060810017969A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN06LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN06LA112), Aug 10, 2006: Piper PA-24-260 (N8741P), Harrisburg, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The 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.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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