# Accident 20201004012799A: Piper PA-28-160, Fulton, NY, October 4, 2020 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: October 4, 2020, 12:30 local time - Place: Fulton, NY - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 43.3508° N, 76.3881° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.3508&lon=-76.3881&mi=10 - Aircraft: N6179U, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6179U-2023-04-05) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper PA-28-160 (registry code 7102806, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-160) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-160 - Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 1 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 164 total, 14 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA006) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201004012799A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1230 PM EST, THE PILOT OF AIRCRAFT N6179U, EXECUTED A TAKE-OFF FROM RUNWAY 15 AT THE OSWEGO COUNTY AIRPORT (FZY) IN FULTON, NY. AT APPROXIMATELY 1000 FT. ALTITUDE AND STILL OVER THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT STATED THAT ENGINE OIL STARTED COVERING THE AIRCRAFT WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT THEN MADE A LEFT TURN TO CIRCLE AROUND AND ATTEMPT A LANDING ON RUNWAY 24 AT FZY. THE PILOT STATES THAT BY THE TIME HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 24 HE WAS ALREADY PAST THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO TRAVEL OFF THE END OF RUNWAY 24 APPROXIMATELY 360 FEET, UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE AIRPORT PERIMETER CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT IN A DITCH APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET BEYOND THE FENCE LINE. THE PILOT THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS OWN WITH ONLY MINOR BRUISING TO HIS FACE. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE. THE FOLLOWING WEATHER CONDITIONS AT 12:30PM WERE: TEMPERATURE 63 DEGREES F, NO PRECIPITATION, WINDS 7 MPH ENE, AND VISIBILITY 10 MILES. THIS INSPECTOR ARRIVED AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE AT APPROXIMATELY 3:15PM EST ON SUNDAY 10/4/2020. INITIAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE FOLLOWING DAMAGE AND NOTABLE ITEMS: THE LEFT WING WAS SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE WING ROOT AND ONLY ATTACHED BY FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WINGTIP. THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS COLLAPSED AND UNDER THE FUSELAGE. THE RIGHT WING HAD DAMAGE TO THE LEADING EDGE AT THE FUEL TANK. THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS DAMAGED AND PARTLY SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN WITH PIECES INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE ROOF OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ALSO DAMAGED. THE FUSELAGE WAS INTACT. THE AIRCRAFT PROPELLER AND SPINNER WERE ENTANGLED IN THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE. CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT REVEALED NO SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ENGINE OIL ON THE CYLINDERS OR ACCESSORIES. THERE WAS ENGINE OIL COVERING THE SURFACE OF THE PROPELLER, SPINNER, AND NOSE COWLING. DAMAGE TO THE FENCE CONSISTED OF 3 VERTICAL FENCE POSTS AND THE HORIZONTAL TOP CROSS BAR AS WELL AS THE CHAIN LINK BEING PULLED FREE FROM OTHER POSTS. THIS INSPECTOR COORDINATED WITH THE FZY AIRPORT MANAGER AND AIRCRAFT OWNER TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE OWNER?S T-HANGAR THE NEXT MORNING (10/5/2020) DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF EQUIPMENT TO MOVE THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT AND AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE WERE SECURED FOR THE NIGHT. ON MONDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2020 PRIOR TO MOVING THE AIRCRAFT, THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 22 GALLONS OF FUEL REMOVED FROM THE LEFT WING TANK AND 2 GALLONS REMOVED FROM THE RIGHT WING TANK, THE FUEL WAS BLUE IN COLOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN MOVED TO THE OWNER?S T-HANGAR. ONCE SECURED IN THE HANGAR, THIS INSPECTOR REMOVED THE PROPELLER SPINNER, PROPELLER, AND NOSE COWLING TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE ENGINE OIL LEAK. UPON REMOVING THOSE PARTS, THE PLUG THAT IS INSTALLED IN THE FRONT OPENING OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT FELL TO THE GROUND. THIS PLUG, WHEN INSTALLED PROPERLY, PREVENTS ENGINE OIL FROM EXITING THE CRANKSHAFT DURING ENGINE OPERATION. THIS INSPECTOR NOTED THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 6.5 QUARTS OF ENGINE OIL IN THE ENGINE AT THIS TIME. NO OTHER PARTS WERE REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS POINT. THE AIRCRAFT LOG BOOKS NOTED AN ANNUAL INSPECTION COMPLETED ON OCTOBER 1, 2020. THE PILOT HOLDS AN FAA PRIVATE PILOT SINGLE ENGINE LAND CERTIFICATE AND COMPLETING HIS LAST FLIGHT REVIEW ON 5/2/2019. THE PILOT ALSO HOLDS BASIC MED CERTIFICATE DATED 4/11/2019. ## 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 ERA21LA006](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA006), Oct 4, 2020: Piper PA28 (N6179U), Fulton, NY, substantial damage. Probable cause: The mechanic’s improper maintenance, which resulted in the crankshaft expansion plug dislodging in flight and a subsequent forced landing. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.