20230119000459A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28R-200 · Carlsbad, CA · January 19, 2023

Date: January 19, 2023 · 07:45 local
Place: Carlsbad, CA
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N57355
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR23LA094
Reported as: Piper PA-28R-200
Reported engine: Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 548 total

N57355Registration cancelled Jul 23, 2024 · Piper PA-28R-200S/N 28R-7435084 · Built 1973 Airframe modelPiper PA-28R-200 Engine modelLycoming I0360 seriesReciprocating

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.

While enroute from kmyf to ksna, about 15 minutes after departure the aircraft lost oil pressure at 3200' MSL over the pacific ocean coastline. A few minutes after losing oil pressure the engine seized and stopped operating. The pilots declared emergency and elected to ditch in the pacific ocean. All 3 occupants swam to shore safely and suffered no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE ENROUTE FROM KMYF TO KSNA, ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE THE AIRCRAFT LOST OIL PRESSURE AT 3200' MSL OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN COASTLINE. A FEW MINUTES AFTER LOSING OIL PRESSURE THE ENGINE SEIZED AND STOPPED OPERATING. THE PILOTS DECLARED EMERGENCY AND ELECTED TO DITCH IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. ALL 3 OCCUPANTS SWAM TO SHORE SAFELY AND SUFFERED NO INJURIES.

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 WPR23LA094Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCarlsbad, CAA failure of the No. 2 piston connecting rod bearing due to oil starvation for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power.Jan 19, 2023 · Substantial damage