# NTSB CEN15LA297: Piper PA 25-235, N94MC, Galveston, TX, June 28, 2015 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 28, 2015, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Galveston, TX - Coordinates: 29.265277, -94.860275 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2653&lon=-94.8603&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 91507 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN15LA297 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/91507/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91507 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA297 ## Probable cause The loss of engine power due to a failure of a crankshaft idler gear shaft. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng rear section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058540): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058540/cases.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058540/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-25-235, 28 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102504), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, while the airplane was towing a banner about 1,100 ft mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot executed a forced landing to a pasture, during which the right wing struck a fence. The airplane then came to rest upright. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies or indications before the loss of engine power. Disassembly of the engine revealed that a crankshaft idler gear shaft had failed and separated from the accessory gear case. The failed idler gear shaft and its attachment hardware were not located, and a metallurgical examination could not be conducted to determine the reason for the failure. ## Factual narrative On June 28, 2015, at 1230 central daylight time, a Piper PA-25-235 single-engine airplane, N94MC, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Galveston, Texas. The commercial pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Sky-Signs, LLC, Lewes, Delaware, and operated by Nighthawk Aerial Advertising, Pearland, Texas, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a banner tow flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight departed the Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), Pearland, Texas, at 1030. According to the pilot, while towing a banner about 1,100 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power. The pilot's attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. The pilot reported there were no anomalies or indications prior to the loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a pasture area. During the forced landing, the right wing struck a temporary fence, and the airplane came to rest upright. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The airplane was recovered for further examination. The Lycoming O-540-G1A5 engine was disassembled under the supervision of a Federal Aviation Administration inspector at the operator's facility. Disassembly of the engine revealed a crankshaft idler gear shaft failed and separated from the accessory gear case. The failed idler gear shaft and attach hardware were not located and a metallurgical examination could not be completed. According to the engine logbooks, on February 16, 2006, the engine underwent a major overhaul at a total engine time of 2,760 hours. On September 4, 2009, the engine was disassembled due to a propeller strike. The engine total time at disassembly was not recorded in the engine logbook. The engine's most recent 100-hour inspection was completed on March 23, 2015, at a total engine time of 5,232 hours and 1,078 hours since major overhaul. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N94MC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94MC-2018-03-09), registration cancelled 2018-03-09, S/N 25-2784, built 1964 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 25-235 - Registry model: [Piper PA-25-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-25-235) (registry code 7102504) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-540-G1A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-540-g1a5) (registry code 42344, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 25-2784 - Year built: 1964 - Airframe hours: 8519.9 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-G1A5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Banner tow, Part 91 - Operator: Nighthawk Aerial Advertising - Registered owner: Sky-Signs LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 23, 2015 - Departed: LVJ, Pearland, TX - Destination: LVJ, Pearland, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 4, 2015; seat: single; flight hours: 2,900 total, 170 in this make and model, 2,458 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Lowest ceiling: none ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 3, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=91507. 3.8 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=40433437&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Maintenance Records (item 2, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433438&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Records-Master.PDF - FAA Inspector Record of Conversation (item 3, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433439&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Record%20of%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Photo Array (item 4, .PDF, 2 photos, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40433440&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Array-Master.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.