# NTSB CEN17LA226: Piper PA 32R-301T, N782SW, Dalhart, TX, June 9, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 9, 2017, 15:05 local (20:05 UTC) - Place: Dalhart, TX - Coordinates: 36.059864, -102.510032 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0599&lon=-102.5100&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 95364 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN17LA226 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/95364/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95364 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA226 ## Probable cause The failure of the engine's front bearing seal due to maintenance personnel’s installation of an improperly sized crankshaft seal, which resulted in oil starvation and a forced landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Maintenance personnel (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md) - [Fluids: oil](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Fluid level (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 174 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071020/cases.md) - [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 198 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md) - [Power plant](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Incorrect service/maintenance (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 198 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057100/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/340/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Piper PA-32R-301T, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=7103220), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airplane was in cruise flight when the engine's forward main seal (crankshaft seal) began to leak engine oil. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power, and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field about 5 miles west of the departure airport. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the bottom half of the crankshaft seal had slipped forward from its placement, which allowed engine oil to leak from the engine. The seal had an approximate time in service of 21 hours since its replacement. It is likely that maintenance personne installed an improperly sized crankshaft seal, which led to it slipping, allowing the engine oil to leak. ## Factual narrative On June 9, 2017, about 1505 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N782SW, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The airplane impacted terrain during a forced landing to a field near Dalhart, Texas. The airplane received substantial damage. The pilot was uninjured, and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a personal flight that was operating on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Dalhart Municipal Airport (DHT), about 1456, and was destined to Angel Fire Airport (AXX), Angel Fire, New Mexico. A National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Accident/Incident Report was not received from the pilot. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that the airplane was in cruise flight when the engine's forward main seal (crankshaft seal) began to leak engine oil. The engine lost power shortly afterward, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field about five miles west of DHT. A post-accident photo of the seal shows that the bottom half of the seal slipped forward from its placement. The airplane exterior was covered with engine oil. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, serial number L-7309-61A, engine. An engine logbook entry dated November 14, 2016, with a tachometer time/total time of 5,995.01 hours, showed an "oversized" front crankshaft seal, part number LW-15628P50, was installed. The next logbook entry was dated March 6, 2017, with a tachometer/total time of 5,998.0 hours, for an annual inspection performed by the same mechanic that installed the crankshaft seal. The airplane accumulated about 22 hours since the replacement of the seal, with a total time of 6,016.8 hours at the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N782SW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N782SW-2020-08-02), registration cancelled 2020-08-02, S/N 32R-8429001, built 1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 32R-301T - Registry model: [Piper PA-32R-301T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32r-301t) (registry code 7103220) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R-8429001 - Year built: 1983 - Airframe hours: 6016.8 - Engines: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Pilot - Registered owner: Elliott Family Aircraft LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 6, 2017, 19 hours before - Departed: DHT, Dalhart, TX - Destination: AXX, Angel Fire, NM - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: DHT, Dalhart Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 645 total ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 95 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: DHT, 5 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 20170609008189A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170609008189A), Jun 9, 2017: Piper PA-32R-301T, Dalhart, TX, Substantial damage. On June 9, 2017 at approximately 1505 CDT, a 1983 Piper PA-32R-301T (saratoga) aircraft registration number N782SW, registered to elliott family aircraft LLC… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 28, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=95364. 3.2 MB in all. - Record of Correspondence - FAA (item 1, .PDF, 85 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466101&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Correspondence%20-%20FAA-Master.PDF - Engine Logbook Excerpt (item 2, .PDF, 122 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466102&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Engine%20Logbook%20Excerpt-Master.PDF - Photo Log (item 3, .PDF, 2 photos, 3.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40466103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20Log-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.