# NTSB CEN13LA397: Piper PA 46-350P, N502EU, Nappanee, IN, July 5, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 5, 2013, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Nappanee, IN - Coordinates: 41.508335, -85.963333 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5083&lon=-85.9633&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: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA -- South Bend Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 87403 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13LA397 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87403/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87403 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA397 ## Probable cause The failure of the No. 6 piston due to detonation and the subsequent interruption of the engine oil flow that resulted from the piston fragments. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng oil sys](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA 46-350P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/cases.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 130 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058550/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 46-350P, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7104620), [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 46-350P, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7104620), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, upon leveling the airplane at the assigned cruise altitude, he heard three loud "bangs" and that the engine oil pressure and temperature indications exceeded the gauge limits. He was unable to maintain altitude and subsequently executed a forced landing to a field. A postaccident engine examination revealed that a portion of the No. 6 piston face had separated along the perimeter due to detonation within the cylinder during operation. The No. 5 connecting rod had separated near the crankshaft journal, and the lower portion of the engine crankcase exhibited a hole immediately above the oil sump. Metallic fragments were recovered from the oil sump, oil sump screen, and oil filter. Piston fragments likely interrupted the oil flow within the engine, which resulted in the failure of the No. 5 connecting rod. ## Factual narrative On July 5, 2013, about 1230 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-350P airplane, N502EU, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during cruise flight near Nappanee, Indiana. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft was registered to GTG LLC and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight had departed from the Elkhart Municipal Airport (EKM), Elkhart, Indiana, about 1210. The intended destination was the Indianapolis Executive Airport (TYQ), Indianapolis, Indiana. The pilot reported that the takeoff and climb out were uneventful. However, upon leveling at the assigned cruise altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level, he heard three loud "bangs." The engine oil pressure and temperature indications exceeded the gauge limit. He was unable to maintain altitude and ultimately executed a forced landing to a field located about 4 miles north-northwest of Nappanee, Indiana. The airplane came to rest upright, with substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident engine examination was conducted under the direct supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration inspector. The examination revealed that a portion of the no. 6 piston face has separated along the perimeter. The damage appeared consistent with exposure to detonation within the cylinder during operation. The no. 5 connecting rod separated near the crankshaft journal. The lower portion of the engine crankcase exhibited a hole immediately above the oil sump. Metallic fragments were recovered from the oil sump, the oil sump screen, and the oil filter. The accident airplane was powered by a 350-horsepower Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A engine, serial number L-9578-61A. The pilot reported that the airframe and engine had accumulated 1,584.3 hours total time at the time of the accident. Maintenance records indicated that on October 19, 2012, the no. 6 cylinder was removed and a new piston, new rings, and new gaskets were installed due to excessive oil consumption. The engine had accumulated 39.5 hours since the work was performed. The records noted that 8 days earlier, on October 11, 2012, the no. 4 cylinder was removed and new rings and gaskets were installed due to excessive oil consumption. The most recent annual inspection was performed on September 11, 2012, at 1,535.4 hours total airframe/engine time. The engine maintenance logbook did not contain any entries subsequent to the October 19th cylinder replacement. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N502EU](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N502EU), registered now, S/N 4622182, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 46-350P - Registry model: [Piper PA 46-350P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-46-350p) (registry code 7104620) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-tio-540-ae2a) (registry code 41999, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 4622182 - Airframe hours: 1584.3 - Engines: LYCOMING TIO-540-AE2A 350 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Gtg LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 11, 2012, 48.9 hours before - Departed: EKM, Elkhart, IN - Destination: TYQ, Indianapolis, IN - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: C03, Nappanee Municipal ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 12, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 1,802 total, 323 in this make and model, 1,510 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,200 ft broken - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: GSH, 8 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 20130705012289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130705012289A), Jul 5, 2013: Piper PA 46-350P, Nappanee, IN, Substantial damage. Just after level off at 8000 feet pilot reported loud banging noises from engine compartment followed by loss of engine power. Off airport landing made in… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87403. 11.1 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401798&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Airframe Maintenance Logbook (item 2, .PDF, 4.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401803&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Airframe%20Maintenance%20Logbook-Redacted.PDF - Engine Maintenance Logbook -- Excerpts (item 3, .PDF, 5.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401804&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Maintenance%20Logbook%20--%20Excerpts-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.