# Incident 20161221019369I: Grumman American Avn. Corp. AA-5B, Perry, GA, December 21, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 21, 2016, 12:00 local time
- Place: Perry, GA
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.4737° N, 83.7278° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Perry, GA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.4737&lon=-83.7278&mi=10
- Aircraft: N505, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N505) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Grumman American Avn. AA-5B (registry code 3960105, https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. AA-5B
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O-360-A4K
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 100 total, 4 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20161221019369I

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 21, 2016 THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT OF N505 WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON A ROUTINE VFR FLIGHT FROM PINE MOUNTAIN, GA. (KPIM) TO PERRY, GA. (KPXE).  THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 14 MILES OUT FROM KPXE AT 4500 FT. WHEN THE ENGINE EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT PROPELLER STOPPAGE. A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND WAS OBSERVED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUSING A SLIGHT OIL MIST ONTO WINDOW. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY LAND ON RUNWAY 36 WITHOUT DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT OR CAUSING INJURY.

ON DECEMBER 22, 2016 AN INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO WAS DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE TO CONDUCT AN INVESTIGATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THAT THE ENGINE HAD ABOUT A 3 INCH HOLE IN THE TOP REAR OF THE CRANKCASE JUST ABOVE THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER. A VISUAL INSPECTION THROUGH THE HOLE SHOWED A BUSTED #4 PISTON CONNECTING ROD AND A BENT CAM SHAFT. ALSO THE #1 MAGNETO WAS CRACKED WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE BACK OF THE CRANKCASE. NO OTHER DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED.

ON DECEMBER 29, 2016 AN ENGINE TEAR DOWN INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED TO GATHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE TEAR DOWN WAS CONDUCTED BY THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WITH OVERSIGHT PROVIDED BY AN AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FROM THE ATLANTA FSDO. THE TEAR DOWN FURTHER REVEALED THAT THE #4 PISTON CONNECTING ROD HAD COME APART AND BECAME LODGED INTO THE BOTTOM OF THE CRANKCASE. FURTHER EVALUATION SHOWED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT HAD SNAPPED IN TWO, AT THE LOCATION THE CONNECTING ROD ATTACHES TO IT.

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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