20061104024589A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Danville, AR · November 4, 2006

Date: November 4, 2006 · 23:20 local
Place: Danville, AR
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N15852
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW07FA020
Reported as: Piper PA32300
Reported engine: Lycoming TIO540*
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,100 total

N15852Registration cancelled Sep 5, 2014 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-7340069 · Built 1973 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 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) On November 4, 2006, at 23:15:50 CT, a Piper PA-32-300, N15852, reported a very rough running engine, then a mayday, on fire, going down. The aircraft glided to a pasture where it struck a power line, rolled inverted, collided with the ground, and burned. The commercial pilot and two passengers were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft was being operated for personal transportation under 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. The flight originated at little rock (lit), Arkansas, at approximately 22:45 CT. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an IFR flight plan was filed. The pilot reported the aircraft on fire; ATC provided vectors to the Danville, Arkansas, municipal airport (32A). The pilot informed ATC he would not be able to glide that FAR. The top of the engine crankcase was found to have a large hole in it; investigation revealed a connecting rod not attached to crank.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 4, 2006, AT 23:15:50 CT, A PIPER PA-32-300, N15852, REPORTED A VERY ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE, THEN A MAYDAY, ON FIRE, GOING DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT GLIDED TO A PASTURE WHERE IT STRUCK A POWER LINE, ROLLED INVERTED, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND BURNED. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED FOR PERSONAL TRANSPORTATION UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT LITTLE ROCK (LIT), ARKANSAS, AT APPROXIMATELY 22:45 CT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT ON FIRE; ATC PROVIDED VECTORS TO THE DANVILLE, ARKANSAS, MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (32A). THE PILOT INFORMED ATC HE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GLIDE THAT FAR. THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CRANKCASE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A LARGE HOLE IN IT; INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CONNECTING ROD NOT ATTACHED TO CRANK.

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 DFW07FA020Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportDanville, ARFailure of the number 5 cylinder which resulted in oil starvation and the subsequent loss of engine power, and the pilot's inability to see the transmission line during the forced landing. Factors Contributing to the accident were the dark night and the…Nov 5, 2006 · Destroyed

Other reports on N15852 · 1

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

Accident 19761228041459AForced Landing · PADec 28, 1976 · Substantial damage