- Date
- July 1, 2011, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Flippin, AR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N56417Piper PA-28-180
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (total)
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 22, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110701025099A
- Case key
- 80965
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 loss of engine power due to improper maintenance and resultant oil starvation.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While in cruise flight the pilot noted a decrease in engine rpm. He began to troubleshoot the problem and reversed course to head toward more favorable terrain for a forced landing. After completing the turn, the engine seized, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a pasture. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a bale of hay, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the engine revealed that the loss of engine power and resultant seizure was due to a loss of engine oil. Further examination revealed that the bolts on the vacuum pump were loose and the engine oil was exiting at that location. An examination of the airframe and remaining systems revealed no anomalies.
Factual narrative
On July 1, 2011, approximately 1100 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N56417, was substantially damaged when it impacted a bale of hay during a forced landing near Flippin, Arkansas. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was registered to Mid-South Specialty Construction LLC., and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight which operated without a flight plan. The flight originated from Mountain Home, Arkansas, and was en route to Marshall, Arkansas. According to the pilot, he was in cruise flight when he noted a decrease in engine rpm. The pilot began to troubleshoot the decrease and reversed course to head towards more favorable terrain for a forced landing. After completing the turn, the engine seized. The pilot performed a forced landing to a pasture. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a bale of hay, separating the right wing from the fuselage. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the airplane had just undergone maintenance. An examination of the engine revealed that the loss of engine power and resultant seizure was due to a loss of engine oil. Further examination revealed that the bolts on the vacuum pump were loose and the engine oil was exiting at this location. An examination of the airframe and remaining systems revealed no anomalies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56417
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 287305589
- Airframe hours
- 2,415
- Engine
- Lycoming O&VO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 3, 2011
- Departed
- KBPK · Mountain Home, AR
- Destination
- K4A5 · Marshall, AR
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
- 60
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 16, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 820 total · 317 in this make and model · 51 in the last 90 days · 18 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KBPK, 20 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 4, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.