20070828022739A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-31P · Newton, KS · August 28, 2007

Date: August 28, 2007 · 13:00 local
Place: Newton, KS
Airport: Newton-City-County
Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N7325L
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN07LA149
Reported as: Piper PA31P
Reported engine: Lycoming TIGO541E1A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,000 total3,500 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N7325LRegistration cancelled May 11, 2015 · Piper PA-31PS/N 31P-7400206 · Built 1974 Airframe modelPiper PA-31P Engine modelLycoming TIGO-541SERReciprocating

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 8/28/07 at 1300 local time, N7325L PA-31P departed kewk rwy 17. At 300 feet AGL, power to the right engine was lost. Loss of power was caused by cylinder number 6 exhaust gasket failing. This failure allowed hot exhaust gas to damage the lower spark plug lead to #6 cylinder and also damaged the lead to the right hand magneto causing the lead to ground rendering the right hand magneto inoperative. Pilot elected to return for landing, but due to traffic was forced to make an off airport landing resulting in substantial damage to a/c. no injuries occurred. After being returned to the airport the damaged right hand propeller was replaced and the right hand engine was started and operated at a reduced power setting. The engine ceased operations when the right hand magneto was selected.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 8/28/07 AT 1300 LOCAL TIME, N7325L PA-31P DEPARTED KEWK RWY 17. AT 300 FEET AGL, POWER TO THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS LOST. LOSS OF POWER WAS CAUSED BY CYLINDER NUMBER 6 EXHAUST GASKET FAILING. THIS FAILURE ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GAS TO DAMAGE THE LOWER SPARK PLUG LEAD TO #6 CYLINDER AND ALSO DAMAGED THE LEAD TO THE RIGHT HAND MAGNETO CAUSING THE LEAD TO GROUND RENDERING THE RIGHT HAND MAGNETO INOPERATIVE. PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN FOR LANDING, BUT DUE TO TRAFFIC WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO A/C. NO INJURIES OCCURRED. AFTER BEING RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT THE DAMAGED RIGHT HAND PROPELLER WAS REPLACED AND THE RIGHT HAND ENGINE WAS STARTED AND OPERATED AT A REDUCED POWER SETTING. THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATIONS WHEN THE RIGHT HAND MAGNETO WAS SELECTED.

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 DEN07LA149Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportNewton, KSThe failure of the exhaust gasket on the number 6 cylinder for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Aug 28, 2007 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7325L · 1

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

Accident 19920124001069AForced Landing · Tonopah, NVSuspect under influence alcohol. Failed to comply ATC instructions. Crashed short of runway. Fuel tanks empty.Jan 24, 1992 · Substantial damage