# NTSB ANC12LA058: Piper PA-32-300, N8908N, Gustavus, AK, June 25, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 25, 2012, 09:40 local (17:40 UTC) - Place: Gustavus, AK - Coordinates: 58.372222, -135.60527 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=58.3722&lon=-135.6053&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 10, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA Juneau FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 84107 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC12LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/84107/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84107 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC12LA058 ## Probable cause The fatigue failure of the engine crankshaft for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident metallurgical examination. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip engine power section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 233 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058520/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface: soft surface](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 264 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 23 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 43 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The scheduled passenger flight was about 11 miles from its destination airport when the airplane's engine began to lose power and vibrate. After completing the "Engine Power Loss In-Flight" emergency checklist, and with no improvement in engine power or the vibration, the pilot elected to shut down the engine and performed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the airplane's nose landing gear folded back under the airplane, and the engine firewall sustained substantial damage. An examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft fractured forward of the #6 bearing journal on the crankshaft through the counterweight web. The fracture surfaces were all consistent with fatigue; however, the cause of the fatigue crack initiation could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On June 25, 2012, about 0940 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-32 airplane, N8908N, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing after a loss of engine power about 5 miles southeast of the Gustavus Airport, Gustavus, Alaska. The airplane was being operated by Air Excursions, Gustavus, as a visual flight rules (VFR) scheduled commuter flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and company flight following procedures were in effect. The flight originated from the Juneau International Airport, Juneau, Alaska about 0923, and was destined for Gustavus. In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that the departure and initial portion of the flight were uneventful. About 11 miles from Gustavus, the engine began to lose power, and the airplane started shaking. He performed the emergency procedures checklist for "Engine Power Loss In-Flight," but the power loss and shaking continued to worsen. About 8 miles from Gustavus, he elected to shut the engine down, and performed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the airplane's nose landing gear folded back under the airplane, and the engine firewall sustained substantial damage. Initial examination of the engine by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that there was a bulge in the engine crankcase, and the propeller was difficult to rotate by hand. Maintenance record entries indicate that the operator was troubleshooting engine vibration problems in the accident airplane since at least March 10, 2012. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming IO-540 engine. A postaccident examination of the engine's internal components was performed by a Materials Research Engineer at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The tests revealed that the crankshaft fractured forward of the #6 bearing journal on the crankshaft through the counterweight web. The fracture surfaces were all consistent with fatigue. No other indications of other failure modes were found, and damage to the other internal engine components were consistent with overstress damage sustained after the crankshaft failed. The cause of the fatigue crack initiation could not be determined. A copy of the Materials Laboratory report can be found in the public docket for this accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8908N](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8908N), registered now, S/N 32-40695, built 1969 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-40695 - Airframe hours: 14940 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540 SER 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Air Excursions LLC - Registered owner: Air Excursions LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, May 29, 2012 - Departed: PAJN, Juneau, AK - Destination: Gustavus, AK - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 971 total, 59 in this make and model, 63 in the last 90 days, 46 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft overcast - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: PAGS, 4 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20120625014389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120625014389A), Jun 25, 2012: Piper PA-32-300, Gustavus, AK, Substantial damage. On June 25, 2012, at approximately 0940 local time, N8908N, a 1969 Piper model PA-32-300 cherokee six aircraft operated by air excursions, LLC (yaxa) of… ## Other investigations on N8908N (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 ANC94LA055](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC94LA055), May 7, 1994: Piper PA-32-300 (N8908N), Allakaket, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AFTER LANDING. ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 26, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=84107. 15.8 MB in all. - Materials Laboratory 15 - Factual Report of Group Chairman (item 1, .PDF, 15.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403933&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%2015%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Group%20Chairman-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 2, .PDF, 640 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405310&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - FAA Inspectors Statement (item 3, .PDF, 179 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40405312&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspectors%20Statement-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.