What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 03-23-2023 at approximately 1037, a SR-20 departed Phoenix-Goodyear airport (gyr) under 14 CFR part 141 flight instruction. The aircraft was occupied by a certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot (sp). VMC conditions prevailed at the time of the incident. At 1050, following a loss of engine oil pressure, the CFI took control of the aircraft and executed an off-field emergency landing onto a farm road located approximately 4.1 miles southwest of the loop 202 and interstate 10 interchange. The aircraft landed safely with no injuries to personnel on board and without damage to the aircraft.
According to statement provided by the aircrew, all engine and engine oil parameters were normal during engine start, run-up, taxi, and takeoff. Flight operations quality assurance (foqa) data indicates that within 9 minutes of flight time, the engine began running rough and oil pressure rapidly dropped from 78 PSI to 0 PSI within 2 minutes.
An inspection of the aircraft following the off-field landing revealed oil covering the bottom of the fuselage and the engine compartment. The engine oil dipstick was tight and the engine was void of a measurable amount of oil. It was noted that the engine oil cooler pressure and return lines on the right side of the engine were “hand tight.”
One day prior to the incident, the aircraft was returned to service following a phase #2 (progressive) inspection conducted on 03-22-2023 at 14CFR part 145 repair station. During the phase #2 inspection, there was a squawk for the right magneto being out of time. Maintenance records show that the right magneto was retimed and signed off during the phase inspection. Following a review of pertinent maintenance records and subsequent interviews with maintenance personnel, there was no record of either the oil supply or return lines being loosened or removed to facilitate other maintenance (I.e. timing the right magneto). The engine at the time of this incident had 303.6 hours of service since overhaul.
As the FAA filed it
ON 03-23-2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1037, A SR-20 DEPARTED PHOENIX-GOODYEAR AIRPORT (GYR) UNDER 14 CFR PART 141 FLIGHT INSTRUCTION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OCCUPIED BY A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT (SP). VMC CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. AT 1050, FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE OIL PRESSURE, THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND EXECUTED AN OFF-FIELD EMERGENCY LANDING ONTO A FARM ROAD LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 4.1 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE LOOP 202 AND INTERSTATE 10 INTERCHANGE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED SAFELY WITH NO INJURIES TO PERSONNEL ON BOARD AND WITHOUT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
ACCORDING TO STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE AIRCREW, ALL ENGINE AND ENGINE OIL PARAMETERS WERE NORMAL DURING ENGINE START, RUN-UP, TAXI, AND TAKEOFF. FLIGHT OPERATIONS QUALITY ASSURANCE (FOQA) DATA INDICATES THAT WITHIN 9 MINUTES OF FLIGHT TIME, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AND OIL PRESSURE RAPIDLY DROPPED FROM 78 PSI TO 0 PSI WITHIN 2 MINUTES.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOLLOWING THE OFF-FIELD LANDING REVEALED OIL COVERING THE BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE AND THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE ENGINE OIL DIPSTICK WAS TIGHT AND THE ENGINE WAS VOID OF A MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF OIL. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE ENGINE OIL COOLER PRESSURE AND RETURN LINES ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE WERE “HAND TIGHT.”
ONE DAY PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE FOLLOWING A PHASE #2 (PROGRESSIVE) INSPECTION CONDUCTED ON 03-22-2023 AT 14CFR PART 145 REPAIR STATION. DURING THE PHASE #2 INSPECTION, THERE WAS A SQUAWK FOR THE RIGHT MAGNETO BEING OUT OF TIME. MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOW THAT THE RIGHT MAGNETO WAS RETIMED AND SIGNED OFF DURING THE PHASE INSPECTION. FOLLOWING A REVIEW OF PERTINENT MAINTENANCE RECORDS AND SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEWS WITH MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, THERE WAS NO RECORD OF EITHER THE OIL SUPPLY OR RETURN LINES BEING LOOSENED OR REMOVED TO FACILITATE OTHER MAINTENANCE (I.E. TIMING THE RIGHT MAGNETO). THE ENGINE AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT HAD 303.6 HOURS OF SERVICE SINCE OVERHAUL.