20230901015799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-300 · Cincinnati, OH · September 1, 2023

Date: September 1, 2023 · 20:54 local
Place: Cincinnati, OH
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6868D
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA23LA362
Reported as: Piper PA-32-300
Reported engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 4
Pilot’s certificate: Flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 477 total10 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days

N6868DRegistered now · Piper PA-32-300S/N 32-40608 · Built 1969 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-300 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

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.

Aircraft departed kluk at approximately 2010 EDT for local flight with return to kluk. At approximately 2030 EDT pilot reported smelling a fuel burn smell and engine started to lose power. Pilot reported to kluk tower of engine problem. Aircraft landing in trees approximately 5 miles east of kluk. Aircraft impacted trees than slid backward and empennage impacted ground. Both wing fuel tanks were breached by trees. Left wing tip tank was sheared off. Damage to propellor did not indicate rotation at time of impact.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KLUK AT APPROXIMATELY 2010 EDT FOR LOCAL FLIGHT WITH RETURN TO KLUK. AT APPROXIMATELY 2030 EDT PILOT REPORTED SMELLING A FUEL BURN SMELL AND ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER. PILOT REPORTED TO KLUK TOWER OF ENGINE PROBLEM. AIRCRAFT LANDING IN TREES APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES EAST OF KLUK. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TREES THAN SLID BACKWARD AND EMPENNAGE IMPACTED GROUND. BOTH WING FUEL TANKS WERE BREACHED BY TREES. LEFT WING TIP TANK WAS SHEARED OFF. DAMAGE TO PROPELLOR DID NOT INDICATE ROTATION AT TIME OF IMPACT.

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 ERA23LA362Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportCincinnati, OHA loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined.Sep 2, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6868D · 1

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

Incident 19960412025039INormal Cruise · Chandler, INNarrative: aircraft was operating at 4500 ft MSL, pilot stated he lost all engine power. Power was regained and an emergency landing was accomplished. Number two cylinder was replaced within the last two flight hours. Number two engine cylinder was replaced…Apr 12, 1996