# Accident 20230118001569A: Piper PA-31-350, Middlefield, OH, January 18, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2023, 09:30 local time
- Place: Middlefield, OH
- Airport: Geauga County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EZ9A
- Location: 41.4496° N, 81.0629° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4496&lon=-81.0629&mi=10
- Aircraft: N101MA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N101MA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31-350 (registry code 7103110, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31-350) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31-350
- Reported engine: LYCOMING TI0-540 SER
- People aboard: 6
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 9,275 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA23LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230118001569A

## Narrative

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

^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DEPARTED KYNG (YOUNGSTOWN/ WARREN REGIONAL AIRPORT) ENROUTE TO KYIP (WILLOW RUN AIRPORT). DURING THE CLIMB AROUND 6000 FEET THE PILOT NOTICED OIL COMING OUT OF THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING. AT AROUND 7000 FEET THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. PILOT ELECTED TO SHUT DOWN AND SECURE THE ENGINE. THE PILOT THEN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND ASKED ATC FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. ATC VECTORED THE AIRCRAFT FOR THE RNAV/GPS RUNWAY 11 AT GEAUGA COUNTY AIRPORT (7G8). THE PILOT PERFORMED THE APPROACH WITH THE GEAR DOWN AND FLAPS UP TO ENSURE THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDER CONTROL. PILOT STATES THAT THE APPROACH SPEED WAS AROUND 120 KNOTS. NORMAL BLUE LINE SPEED IS APPROXIMATELY 108 KNOTS UNTIL SHORT FINAL THEN SLOWING TO AROUND 90 KNOTS. WITH THE RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER FEATHERED AND ZERO FLAPS THE INCREASED AIRSPEED CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TOUCH DOWN HARD AND LIKELY LONG. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING PORTION OF THE 3500 FOOT RUNWAY. AIRCRAFT LEFT THE PAVED RUNWAY SURFACE AND TRAVELED ABOUT 700 FEET PAST THE END INTO A FARM FIELD. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE LEFT WING, NOSE AND LEFT ENGINE PROPELLER. THE RIGHT ENGINE COWLING HAD OIL COVERING A GOOD PORTION OF THE COWLING FROM THE FRONT TO AT LEAST MID WAY BACK. VISUAL INSPECTION THROUGH THE OIL DIPSTICK DOOR OIL WAS COVERING THE TOP OF THE ENGINE CASE. CLOSER INSPECTION AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED REVEALED A CRACK IN THE ENGINE CASE JUST ABOVE THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDER.   THE R/H ENGINE WAS DISASSMEBLED AND THE DETERMINING FACTOR WAS THAT THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDER WAS EXPERIENCING DETONATION WHICH BURNED A HOLE IN THE PISTION.  THE HOLE IN THE PISTON ALLOWED COMPRESSED CYLINDER GASES TO ENTER THE ENGINE CASE WHICH CAUSE THE FRONT SEAL TO BLOW OUT AND CREATED THE OIL LEAK.  THE NUMBER 5 CONNECTING ROD SIEZED AND BROKE DUE TO OIL STARVATION.  WHEN THE CONNECTING ROD BROKE IT CRACKED THE ENGINE CASE ABOVE THE NUMBER 5 CYLINDER.  THE PILOT AND 5 PASSENGERS WERE 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 ERA23LA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA112), Jan 18, 2023: Piper PA-31-350 (N101MA), Middlefield, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: A runway overrun during a precautionary landing following a total loss of right engine power due to detonation and subsequent oil starvation. Contributing was the pilot’s failure to lower the flaps…

## Other reports on N101MA (1)

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

- [Incident 20140821020229I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140821020229I), Aug 21, 2014: Piper PA-31-350 (N101MA), Mount Pocono, PA, Minor damage. Aircraft struck deer while landing at mpo. Minor damage to aircraft.

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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