20150509007239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Redlands, CA · May 9, 2015

Date: May 9, 2015 · 10:45 local
Place: Redlands, CA
Airport: Redlands Municipal Airport
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4124R
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR15LA157
Reported as: Piper PA-32-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 400 total55 in this make and model23 in the last 90 days

N4124RRegistration cancelled Aug 2, 2018 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-40442 · Built 1968 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.

The aircraft was taxied to the run-up area and system checks were accomplished. Aircraft departed the runway, seconds later the engine vibrated and lost power. The pilot executed an emergency landing. While landing the right wing and horizontal stabilizer contacted objects on the ground and were damaged beyond repair. The number four cylinder ruptured the case. Unknown to the pilot an oil trail from the taxiway to the run-up area was discovered. During the teardown of the engine it was discovered that the oil cooler seam was defective. The oil cooler was installed in 2005. It was discovered that an inappropriate number of washers were used to adjust the oil pressure. The manual indicates a maximum of 3 washers are to be used and 5 were discovered. There are no indications in the logbook when this maintenance was accomplished. The engine showed signs of extreme heat and loss of lubrication. The pilot indicated he did not have any abnormal indications until the engine failed.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO THE RUN-UP AREA AND SYSTEM CHECKS WERE ACCOMPLISHED. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, SECONDS LATER THE ENGINE VIBRATED AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING. WHILE LANDING THE RIGHT WING AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER CONTACTED OBJECTS ON THE GROUND AND WERE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER RUPTURED THE CASE. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT AN OIL TRAIL FROM THE TAXIWAY TO THE RUN-UP AREA WAS DISCOVERED. DURING THE TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE OIL COOLER SEAM WAS DEFECTIVE. THE OIL COOLER WAS INSTALLED IN 2005. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT AN INAPPROPRIATE NUMBER OF WASHERS WERE USED TO ADJUST THE OIL PRESSURE. THE MANUAL INDICATES A MAXIMUM OF 3 WASHERS ARE TO BE USED AND 5 WERE DISCOVERED. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS IN THE LOGBOOK WHEN THIS MAINTENANCE WAS ACCOMPLISHED. THE ENGINE SHOWED SIGNS OF EXTREME HEAT AND LOSS OF LUBRICATION. THE PILOT INDICATED HE DID NOT HAVE ANY ABNORMAL INDICATIONS UNTIL THE ENGINE FAILED.

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 WPR15LA157Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRedlands, CAThe partial loss of engine power during takeoff due to oil starvation.May 9, 2015 · Substantial damage