# Accident 20200908012119A: Piper PA-28-181, Mcminnville, TN, September 8, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 8, 2020, 11:30 local time
- Place: Mcminnville, TN
- Airport: Warren County Memorial Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6953° N, 85.8536° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6953&lon=-85.8536&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4166Z, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4166Z-2023-04-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (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-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 299 total, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA20LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA309) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200908012119A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LEBANON TN AIRPORT (M54) FLYING TO MCMINNVILLE, TN AIRPORT (RNC) LANDING AT APPROXIMATELY 1120 LOCAL, TAXIED TO RUNWAY 23 TO TAKEOFF.  SECURITY VIDEO FROM THE AIRPORT SHOWS SMOKE LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT AND AN APPARENT PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER APPROXIMATELY 6 SECONDS AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO GAIN ALTITUDE UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED FROM VIEW. THE PILOT TRIED TO RETURN TO RUNWAY, EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AND STALLED. AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED HARD LANDING IN A FIELD APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS WEST OF RUNWAY 5 THRESHOLD, KILLING PILOT AND BOTH PASSENGERS.  A WITNESS INDICATED HE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT FLYING AND THEN THE ENGINE WENT SILENT PRIOR TO HEARING AN IMPACT.  AT THE SITE, THE RIGHT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT; ALL OTHER FLIGHT CONTROLS SHOWED CONTINUITY.  THE #4 CYLINDER HEAD ON THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED AND PUSHRODS WERE SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKCASE.  THE ENGINE DIPSTICK INDICATED NO OIL PRESENT.  THE BOTTOM ENGINE COWLING WAS SPRAYED WITH OIL; THERE WAS ALSO EVIDENCE OF OIL UNDER THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE. ONE PROPELLER BLADE WAS UNDAMAGED WHILE THE OTHER WAS BENT APPROXIMATELY 90° WITH SOME SCORING ALONG THE FACE OF THE BLADE. THE PILOT WAS PREVIOUS OWNER AND FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRCRAFT, LOGGING OVER 110 HOURS IN N4166Z.

WEATHER: SSW 5 MPH, VMC.

## 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 ERA20LA309](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20LA309), Sep 8, 2020: Piper PA28 (N4166Z), McMinnville, TN, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure in a cylinder, and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain airspeed and her exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while…

## Other reports on N4166Z (1)

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

- [Incident 20190518004829I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190518004829I), May 18, 2019: Piper PA-28-181 (N4166Z), Alabaster, AL, No damage. New private pilot in command mismanaged fuel due to stress of electrical/alternator issues with airplane. Apparently overlooked tank switchover, running tank…

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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