# Incident 20160505007719I: Piper PA 46-350P, Imperial, CA, May 5, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 5, 2016, 10:35 local time
- Place: Imperial, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8388° N, 115.5720° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Imperial, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8388&lon=-115.5720&mi=10
- Aircraft: N218MW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N218MW-2020-01-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA 46-350P (registry code 7104620, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (registry code 41999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-ae2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46-350P
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TIO-540-AE2A
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160505007719I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON THURSDAY MAY 5, 2016 DEPARTING GILLESPIE AT APPROXIMATELY 10:15 AM FOR A FLIGHT TO KEDC (AUSTIN EXECUTIVE). WITH 3 PASSENGERS  ON BOARD. THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN CLEARED TO CLIMB TO  REQUESTED ENROUTE ALTITUDE OF FL210.  POWER WAS SET TO CRUISE CLIMB: 35", 35GPH, 2400RPM.  AT APPROXIMATELY 10:35 LOCAL (FLIGHT TIME APPROXIMATELY 20 MIN) THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A SIGNIFICANT BUT PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER (MP DROPPED FROM 35" TO 18") AIRCRAFT POSITION AT THIS TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES WEST OF IMPERIAL, ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 14,500 FEET.THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LOWERED THE NOSE TO LEVEL FLIGHT, TRIMMED FOR BEST GLIDE SPEED AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, CENTER PROVIDED THIS FOR NAS EL CENTRO (APPROXIMATELY 22 MILES). FOLLOWING THE "LOST POWER" CHECKLIST INCLUDING BOOST PUMP ON, SWITCH TANKS, SWITCH MAGNETOS, MADE THE RECOMMENDED THROTTLE & MIXTURE ADJUSTMENTS.  POWER WAS NOT RESTORED.  PILOT CONCLUDED TURBOCHARGER FAILURE WAS THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE.  THEN FOLLOWING THE PIPER CHECKLIST FOR TURBO FAILURE INCLUDING MIXTURE TO LEAN.  NOTHING RAISED MP ABOVE CURRENT LEVEL (18-19").  APPROXIMATELY 7-8 MINUTES AFTER POWER LOSS PILOT OBSERVED A CONTINUOUS DROP IN OIL PRESSURE.  CALCULATING THEY WOULD ARRIVE AT EITHER EL CENTRO OR IPL WITH PLENTY OF ALTITUDE,  REDUCED POWER TO NEAR-IDLE IN THE HOPES OF SAVING THE ENGINE FOR USE DURING LANDING IF NEEDED, THE PILOT COMPLETED AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 AT IPL.  AT NO TIME AFTER POWER REDUCTION DID OIL PRESSURE DROP BELOW NORMAL (GREEN) OPERATING RANGE, ALTHOUGH AN AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND REPORTED SEEING LARGE CLOUDS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER SHUTDOWN A  VISUALL INSPECTED OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND LARGE ACCUMULATIONS OF OIL ON THE BELLY, ANTENNAS AND DRIPPING FROM THE RIGHT EXHAUST STACKS.

## Other reports on N218MW (1)

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

- [Accident 20190915023929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190915023929A), Sep 15, 2019: Piper PA 46-350P (N218MW), Galliano, LA, Destroyed. Aircraft departed ktix (titusville, FL.) Enroute to ksee (san diego, CA.). Aircraft descended from 10,500 ft MSL to 1500 ft MSL. When power was applied to…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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