OpenAirDocs.org

20230308004759I

Incident · Minor damage
Open the Markdown

FAA incident report · Piper PA-34-200 · Grand Canyon, AZ · March 8, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
March 8, 2023 · 15:51 local
Place
Grand Canyon, AZ
Airport
Grand Canyon National Park
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N8502V
Reported as
Piper PA-34-200
Reported engine
Lycoming I0360 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,120 total
N8502VRegistered now · Piper PA-34-200S/N 34-7350252 · Built 1973Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200Engine 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.

On 3/8/23 the pilot and a student were on a multi-engine time building flight through the Grand Canyon when they noticed the oil pressure gauge for the left engine was reading zero and the oil temp gauge was in the red (high). Within seconds of seeing that information the left engine stopped and would not allow the prop to go into a feathered position. At that time the pilot contacted Grand Canyon tower and requested a flight through the no flight zone for a direct path to kgcn for an emergency landing. At this time, they were at about 10,500 MSL slightly maintaining altitude. After making a 100 degree turn and descending about 700-1000 feet (around 3000 AGL) the pilot realized they were not going to make it to kgcn because it was still 25 miles to the east. At that point the pilot declared an emergency with Grand Canyon tower and asked them if they knew of anywhere flat to land because all they could see around them was canyons, hills, and pine trees. They ended up finding a small dirt field to land the aircraft in and landed with no injuries. It was later discovered that the loss of power on the left engine was caused by a broken piston rod that will likely require the engine to be replaced.

To be amended at a later date if needed

As the FAA filed it

ON 3/8/23 THE PILOT AND A STUDENT WERE ON A MULTI-ENGINE TIME BUILDING FLIGHT THROUGH THE GRAND CANYON WHEN THEY NOTICED THE OIL PRESSURE GAUGE FOR THE LEFT ENGINE WAS READING ZERO AND THE OIL TEMP GAUGE WAS IN THE RED (HIGH). WITHIN SECONDS OF SEEING THAT INFORMATION THE LEFT ENGINE STOPPED AND WOULD NOT ALLOW THE PROP TO GO INTO A FEATHERED POSITION. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT CONTACTED GRAND CANYON TOWER AND REQUESTED A FLIGHT THROUGH THE NO FLIGHT ZONE FOR A DIRECT PATH TO KGCN FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AT THIS TIME, THEY WERE AT ABOUT 10,500 MSL SLIGHTLY MAINTAINING ALTITUDE. AFTER MAKING A 100 DEGREE TURN AND DESCENDING ABOUT 700-1000 FEET (AROUND 3000 AGL) THE PILOT REALIZED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT TO KGCN BECAUSE IT WAS STILL 25 MILES TO THE EAST. AT THAT POINT THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH GRAND CANYON TOWER AND ASKED THEM IF THEY KNEW OF ANYWHERE FLAT TO LAND BECAUSE ALL THEY COULD SEE AROUND THEM WAS CANYONS, HILLS, AND PINE TREES. THEY ENDED UP FINDING A SMALL DIRT FIELD TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN AND LANDED WITH NO INJURIES. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE LOSS OF POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE WAS CAUSED BY A BROKEN PISTON ROD THAT WILL LIKELY REQUIRE THE ENGINE TO BE REPLACED.

TO BE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE IF NEEDED