20150404007919A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-200 · Santa Maria, CA · April 4, 2015

Date: April 4, 2015 · 11:28 local
Place: Santa Maria, CA
Airport: Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan H
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N5469T
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR15LA141
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-200
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2

N5469TRegistration cancelled May 18, 2016 · Piper PA-28R-200S/N 28R-7235233 · Built 1972 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-200 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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.

On April 4, 2015, N5469T, a Piper PA-28R-200, crashed in a strawberry field approximately 3 miles east of the Santa Maria airport (ksmx). N5469T had just departed ksmx, heading east, when the engine seemed to lose power as it passed trough 3,000 feet in its climb out.

Examination of the aircraft and engine revealed that the engine crankcase had sustained major damage, broken out several areas near the number 2 cylinder lifter bodies. The damage appears to be the cause of the engine failure.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 4, 2015, N5469T, A PIPER PA-28R-200, CRASHED IN A STRAWBERRY FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES EAST OF THE SANTA MARIA AIRPORT (KSMX). N5469T HAD JUST DEPARTED KSMX, HEADING EAST, WHEN THE ENGINE SEEMED TO LOSE POWER AS IT PASSED TROUGH 3,000 FEET IN ITS CLIMB OUT.

EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE CRANKCASE HAD SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE, BROKEN OUT SEVERAL AREAS NEAR THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER LIFTER BODIES. THE DAMAGE APPEARS TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.

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 WPR15LA141Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSanta Maria, CAThe engine failure due to oil starvation, which resulted from the installation of an unapproved oil quick drain valve that subsequently led to the inadvertent draining of the oil when the nose landing gear was retracted. Contributing to the accident was the…Apr 4, 2015 · Substantial damage