20180928016469A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Bartow, FL · September 28, 2018

Date: September 28, 2018 · 13:35 local
Place: Bartow, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4592X
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA18LA265
Reported as: Piper PA-32-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 463 total360 in this make and model6 in the last 90 days

N4592XRegistration cancelled Oct 7, 2023 · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-7640039 · Built 1975 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.

Pilot & passenger departed boca raton airport with no problem. About 10 miles south of lakeland, FL, the aircraft engine began to run roughly, the pilot notified ATC as he had been in contact with them during the flight. The pilot notified the controller and declared an emergency. Within a few minutes a cylinder exploded on the right side of the engine causing the cowling to blow the airframe remaining held on by one strap and blocking the forward view. In addition oil from the engine covered the entire windshield blocking forward vision. There was no forward view due to the engine oil and the cowl flap blocking the entire windscreen.

The pilot requested vectors to the nearest airport which was Bartow airport, but the airport could not be found. The pilot flew the plane from approximately 3,000' all the way to the accident site in a marshy area in the vicinity of lake hancock, near hwy 98 south in highland, city, FL.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT & PASSENGER DEPARTED BOCA RATON AIRPORT WITH NO PROBLEM. ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF LAKELAND, FL, THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGHLY, THE PILOT NOTIFIED ATC AS HE HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THEM DURING THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT NOTIFIED THE CONTROLLER AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES A CYLINDER EXPLODED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE CAUSING THE COWLING TO BLOW THE AIRFRAME REMAINING HELD ON BY ONE STRAP AND BLOCKING THE FORWARD VIEW. IN ADDITION OIL FROM THE ENGINE COVERED THE ENTIRE WINDSHIELD BLOCKING FORWARD VISION. THERE WAS NO FORWARD VIEW DUE TO THE ENGINE OIL AND THE COWL FLAP BLOCKING THE ENTIRE WINDSCREEN.

THE PILOT REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT WHICH WAS BARTOW AIRPORT, BUT THE AIRPORT COULD NOT BE FOUND. THE PILOT FLEW THE PLANE FROM APPROXIMATELY 3,000' ALL THE WAY TO THE ACCIDENT SITE IN A MARSHY AREA IN THE VICINITY OF LAKE HANCOCK, NEAR HWY 98 SOUTH IN HIGHLAND, CITY, FL.

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 ERA18LA265Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBartow, FLA total loss of engine power after the separation of the No. 3 cylinder from the crankcase due to improper maintenance.Sep 28, 2018 · Substantial damage