- Date
- November 20, 1990, 18:13 local (23:13 UTC)
- Place
- Winston-Salem, NC
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8774NPiper PA-28-140
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report March 12, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901120051519A
- Case key
- 8356
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
Failure of a piston pin plug which resulted in a total loss of power. Factors in the accident were an inadequate engine overhaul which led to premature engine wear, and the pilot's failure to obtain proper maintenance following a loss of engine oil pressure.
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
Several minutes after takeoff, the pilot noticed a zero oil pressure indication. After turning back to the airport, the engine RPM began to decay, then the engine quit. The pilot ditched the airplane in a lake about three miles from the airport. Teardown analysis of the engine revealed a failed #1 cylinder piston pin plug. The intake lobes on the camshaft were severly worn, and the intake tappet bodies were severely spalled. Three connecting rods were also found to have failed. The oil pressure screen was contaminated with ferrous and non-ferrous particles. The pilot reported a loss of oil pressure on another flight a few days prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8774N
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-140
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-25598
- Airframe hours
- 4,990
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joyce, William D.
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 1, 1990 · 315 hours before
- Destination
- CRE · Myrtle Beach, SC
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 492 total · 310 in this make and model · 410 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- INT, 3 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.