# NTSB ATL01LA044: Piper PA-24, N7640P, Cross City, FL, March 30, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 30, 2001, 11:14 local (16:14 UTC) - Place: Cross City, FL - Coordinates: 29.635555, -83.104721 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6356&lon=-83.1047&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report August 28, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Tampa FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52014 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL01LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52014/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL01LA044 ## Probable cause The fracture of the crankshaft assembly that resulted in a total loss of engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - engine assembly,crankshaft - fractured (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Ditching, emergency descent/landing ## Analysis During cruise flight at 6,000 feet about two to three miles off shore, the pilot heard a loud bang followed by a violent shake of the airplane and a subsequent loss of engine power. The pilot glided the plane toward shore, then elected to ditch the airplane into the Gulf of Mexico. The airplane was recovered and the connecting rod and connecting rod bearing were sent via FedEx to the NTSB lab for examination on April 18, 2001. The NTSB lab never received the parts. Several attempts to track the parts through FedEx were unsuccessful. ## Factual narrative On March 30, 2001, at 1114 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-24, N7640P, registered to a private owner, was ditched in the Gulf of Mexico 21 miles west of Cross City, Florida, after a total loss of engine power. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Instrument metrological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The private pilot and passenger received minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from Sarasota International Airport, Sarasota, Florida, at 1000. According to the pilot, during cruise at 6,000 feet approximately two to three miles off the coast of Florida, a loud bang was heard. Shortly after the loud bang, the airplane started to shake violently, and the engine began to lose power. The pilot declared an emergency and headed toward the shore. The airplane descended through the clouds and broke out around 1,000 feet. The pilot noticed the RPM reading went to zero, and there were no signs of oil pressure or vacuum pressure. The propeller was wind milling. The pilot elected to ditch the airplane into the Gulf of Mexico. The pilot and passenger were rescued by a fishing boat about 10 minutes after the airplane was ditched. Examination of the engine revealed the crankshaft was fractured at the number four connecting rod journal just forward of the gear shaft. A review of the engine maintenance logbook showed that the crankshaft had 72 hours since its last maintenance overhaul and 4680 hours total time. The connecting rod bearing, the entire crankshaft assembly and the connecting rod were sent via FedEx to the NTSB materials lab for examination on April 18, 2001. The NTSB lab never received the parts. Several attempts to track the parts through FedEx were unsuccessful. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7640P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7640P-2003-09-22), registration cancelled 2003-09-22, S/N 24-2852, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24) (registry code 7102402) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-2852 - Airframe hours: 4680 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: John R. Stevenson - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, December 16, 2000, 10 hours before - Departed: SRQ, Sarasota, FL, FL - Destination: JKA, Jack Edwards, AL - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: SRQ, Sarasota International Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: minor; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 18, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 1,806 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 1,674 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,500 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.34 inHg - Observed at: SRQ ## 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 20010330008859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010330008859A), Mar 30, 2001: Piper PA24, Cross City, FL, Substantial damage. (-23)On March 30, 2001, a Piper 24, N7640P, s/n 24-2852, registered to [privacy data omitted] had an engine failure and crashed into the gulf of Mexico… 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.