- Date
- July 11, 1989, 22:05 local (Jul 12, 1989, 02:05 UTC)
- Place
- Columbus, OH
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2153KPiper PA-32RT-300T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890711024859A
- Case key
- 8045
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improper installation of the propeller governor idler-gear shaft retaining set-screw, which led to an engine oil leak and resulted in a loss of engine power; and the reduction of the pilot's ability to see outside the airplane due to oil on the windshield.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The engine developed a massive oil leak during cruise & the engine lost power. The plt made a forced ldg at the nearest arpt. The plt was unable to clearly see the rwy due to oil covering the windshield, and made a hard ldg as a result. The ldg gear collapsed during the ldg. Post-accident exam of the engine revealed that an improper length set-screw had been installed to retain the prop governor idler-gear shaft in place; the screw was too short, which prevented the proper use of staking to secure the screw in place against the shaft. The screw backed off and allowed the normally-stationary shaft to rotate. The shaft cut through an access plug on the front of the engine, which allowed oil to drain overboard. Investigation revealed that the screw was most likely installed when the idler gears were replaced during a sudden-stoppage inspection. Lycoming service instruction 1343 describes how the length of the set screw should be determined, and how the screw should be installed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2153K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300T (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R7987086
- Airframe hours
- 1,907
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Ferguson Lee, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Ferguson Lee, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 12, 1989 · 60 hours before
- Departed
- CMH · Columbus, OH
- Destination
- BFR · Bedford, IN
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- 2I4 · Bolton Field, runway 22, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,600 total · 250 in this make and model · 3,400 as pilot in command · 206 in the last 90 days · 80 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.