# Accident 20200522007119A: Piper PA-28-180, Steele, MO, May 22, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 22, 2020, 14:15 local time
- Place: Steele, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.0833° N, 89.8292° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0833&lon=-89.8292&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7355W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7355W-2021-04-30) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-180 (registry code 7102808, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (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: PIPER PA-28-180
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 133 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN20LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA189) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200522007119A

## Narrative

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

RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT INVOLVING A PIPER PA-28-180 CHEROKEE WITH A REGISTRATION OF N7355W.  AIRCRAFT WAS AT 3,000 FEET, LEVEL FLIGHT ENROUTE TO POPLAR BLUFF, MO (KPOF) WHEN THE PILOT IDENTIFIED AN OIL PRESSURE INDICATION ANOMALY.  OIL PRESSURE WENT TO ZERO PRESSURE INDICATION AND PILOT MADE DECISION TO RETURN TO BLYTHEVILLE, AR (KHKA).  ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY AT THIS TIME AND PILOT BELIEVED IT TO BE AN INDICATION MALFUNCTION.  AS THE TURN WAS BEING PERFORMED, OIL PRESSURE INDICATION RETURNED.  APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MINUTES LATER, OIL PRESSURE INDICATION DROPPED TO ZERO AND THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGHLY.  OIL BEGAN TO SPRAY FROM THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COWLING AND COVERED THE WINDSCREEN.  AIRCRAFT WAS SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND ENGINE LOST POWER.  PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND IN A COTTON FIELD AGAINST THE FURROWS.  AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND ENGINE COWL WAS DAMAGED.  RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL ASSEMBLY DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT.  ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS BENT FROM THE IMPACT AS THE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING.  THE LEFT WING SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE.  A VISUAL INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A SECTION OF THE CRANKCASE MISSING AND A BROKEN PISTON CONNECTING ROD.  PILOT AND PASSENGER WALKED AWAY UNINJURED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN20LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20LA189), May 22, 2020: Piper PA28 (N7355W), Steele, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of oil pressure for a reason that could not be determined leading to failure of the engine connecting rod.

## Other reports on N7355W (1)

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

- [Accident 20160609007309A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160609007309A), Jun 9, 2016: Piper PA-28-180 (N7355W), Roseville, SC, Substantial damage. On Thursday June 9, 2016 at approximately 1510 local time, N7355W, a Piper pa 28-180 was VFR enroute from beaufort county airport, beaufort, south carolina,…

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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