20061204025999A

(-23) Inspector statement: I was contacted by the FAA communication center on December 4, 2006, and was assigned to an accident that had occurred in Conyers, Georgia, in the vicinity of a residence located at privacy data omitted . The pilot was transported to a local area hospital where he was treated and released with minor injuries. I traveled to the accident site on December 5, 2006. The airplane involved in the accident was a Piper PA-15, N4540H, registered to and operated by the pilot privacy data omitted . It was being operated as a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, from griffin spalding county airport, griffin, Georgia, to pickens county airport, jasper, Georgia. The pilot did not file a flight plan, however a full duats weather briefing was obtained. Review of isis information revealed the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, airplane multiengine land, and instrument airplane issued on November 20, 2004. The pilot's logbook was not located at the crash site. The pilot stated he has 2,264 total flight hours of which 120 hours are in the PA-15. In addition he has 624 hours in multiengine airplanes. The pilot stated he has flown 25 hours in the last 90 days of which 15 were in the PA-15, and 10 hours in the last 30 days of which 8 hours were in the PA-15. The pilot's last flight review was conducted on February 11, 2006. The pilot holds a second-class medical certificate issued on April 4, 2005, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." The pilot stated the airplane had been at griffin, Georgia, for an oil and filter change and replacement of the oil temperature and oil pressure gauge. The pilot stated that the 5 quarts of oil were put into the engine. An engine run was conducted and the oil was again checked and indicated 4 and one half quarts. After the maintenance was completed, the pilot had the airplane topped off with fuel and conducted a preflight inspection. No anomalies were noted. The pilot started the airplane, taxied out for takeoff after completing all required checklist items, and departed. While in cruise flight at 2,500 feet and 95 mph the pilot observed a change in oil pressure and oil temperature. The oil pressure increased above 50 PSI, dropped below 40 PSI, and subsequently dropped below zero. The pilot immediately entered the nearest airport into his global positioning system (GPS). The GPS indicated an airport was located 9.2 statute miles from his present position. He turned the airplane towards the airport and the engine started losing power. The pilot started looking for a forced landing area as the airplane descended to 2,000 feet. The pilot observed an open area and turned towards it and the engine quit and seized. The pilot maneuvered the airplane below some wires on final approach and made a landing on a road rolling into a grassy area. The airplane collided with a bump, bounced, and touched back down again. The pilot observed a tree to his right and applied left rudder to avoid the tree. The right wing of the airplane collided with the tree and separated. The airplane turned to the right, and the left wing of the airplane collided with a tree. The airplane turned to the left and the airplane collided with another tree head on and came to a complete stop. Examination of the crash site revealed the crash debris line was on a heading of 100 degrees magnetic and agreed with the pilot's description of the on ground events. Examination of the airplane revealed the airplane came to rest upright. The upper and lower engine cowling were attached. The wooden propeller remained attached to the propeller flange, with one propeller blade damaged. The propeller spinner was not damaged. The engine assembly remained attached to all engine mounts. There was a thin film of oil present on the right hand side of the firewall, also underneath the fuselage behind the engine cowling flowing toward the tail. There was no evidence of damage to either engine case half. All oil and fuel lines appeared to be attached. The engine oil was checked at the scene and indicated approx one half quart. While checking the oil at the scene the cap separated from the dip stick and later at atlanta air salvage a spring was found in the bottom of the cowling which secures the cap to the dip stick. The cabin area received minor damage. The throttle was at idle power. The carburetor heat was in. The fuel selector valve was in the on position. The header fuel tank was not ruptured and contained fuel. The airplane was equipped with lap seatbelts and the left seatbelt was in use at the time of the accident. The aircraft registration and airworthiness certificate was located in the airplane and was recovered by the FAA. The left main landing gear remained attached to the airframe and the right main landing gear separated from the airframe. Continuity of the flight controls was confirmed from both control sticks to all flight control surfaces with the exception of the right wing which had separated from contact with a tree. The right wing separated at the wing root attachment point after collision with a tree and rotated 180 degrees. The right wing leading edge was damaged. The right wing struts separated from the fuselage attach points. The right aileron remained attached at all hinge points and was damaged. The empennage was not damaged. The vertical fin was not damaged and the rudder remained attached. The right horizontal stabilizer received minor damage and the elevator was intact. The left horizontal stabilizer and elevator were not damaged. The tail wheel was intact and not damaged. The ELT was intact and had been turned off by law enforcement on scene. The left wing remained attached to the airframe. The left wing leading edge was not damaged; however the left wing tip was damaged. The left aileron remained attached at all hinge points and was not damaged. The left wing struts remained attached at the fuselage and the wing. The aircraft logbooks were not located in the airplane but were recovered from the owner by the FAA. The last annual inspection and engine overhaul was conducted on April 18, 2006. The total number of hours on the engine since the annual inspection was 26 hours. The total number of hours on the engine including the overhaul was 1,826 hours. According to the pilot the engine overhaul was completed by privacy data omitted at don's dream machines, griffin, Georgia, and a Continental C85-12-F, 85 horsepower engine was installed. The airplane was back at don sword's for the replacement of the engine oil pressure and oil temperature gauge and an engine oil and filter change. The pilot privacy data omitted further stated that the airplane was topped off with 100 low lead av gas before departing on the VFR personal flight. Review of records provided by don's dream machines revealed the Continental C85-12-F, 85 horsepower engine had an estimated 1800 total flight hours with 3 hours since major overhaul when it was installed on N4540H on April 14, 2006. Further review of records revealed don's dream machines installed an overhauled oil pressure and temperature gauge, and changed the oil on N4540H on December 4, 2006, at tachometer time 1854. Teledyne Continental engine manufacture examined the engine on December 7, 2006, under the supervision of the FAA and NTSB. The examination revealed a broken rod cap on the number one cylinder and engine due to oil starvation. The airplane was released to atlanta air recovery on December 5, 2006, for recovery only. The engine assembly was examined on December 7, 2006, under the supervision of the FAA and the NTSB. A full report from teledyne Continental. The airplane was released to atlanta air salvage on dec 7, 2006.