# NTSB CEN18LA008: Piper PA 34-220T, N4136D, Sugar Grove, IL, October 6, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 6, 2017, 07:06 local (12:06 UTC) - Place: Sugar Grove, IL - Coordinates: 41.771945, -88.475555 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7719&lon=-88.4756&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 18, 2019 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - Dupage FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 96178 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA008 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96178/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96178 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA008 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-220T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=7103420), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-34-220T, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7103420), [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-34-220T, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7103420), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The private pilot of the multi-engine airplane reported that, shortly after takeoff, the right engine experienced a partial loss of power and the airplane yawed to the right. The airplane entered the clouds about 1,100 ft msl and became more difficult to control. The pilot lowered the nose to increase airspeed and the airplane exited the cloud layer in a nose-down, right-wing-low attitude. He stated that he corrected the airplane's attitude and landed in a corn field. Examination of the airplane, engines, and the right engine fuel controls revealed no anomalies. Based on the available evidence, the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On October 6, 2017, about 0706 central daylight time, a Piper PA34-220T airplane, N4136D, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing in a corn field following a loss of engine power on its right engine. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane received substantial damage to its fuselage, and both wings. The aircraft was registered to Echo Bravo LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight was originating from the Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), near Sugar Grove, Illinois, and the Wichita Dwight D Eisenhower National Airport (ICT), Wichita, Kansas, was the intended destination.The pilot reported that the pre-flight inspection and the pre-takeoff engine checks revealed no anomalies. He stated that shortly after takeoff, the airplane yawed to the right. The airplane entered the clouds about 1,100 ft msl and became more difficult to control. He stated that he lowered the nose to increase airspeed and the airplane exited the cloud layer in a nose down, right wing low attitude. He stated that he corrected the attitude and landed into a corn field. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined the airplane after the accident. The examination did not reveal any preimpact anomalies regarding the airplane engines. The right engine could be rotated and compression and suction were felt on all cylinders during rotation. Further examination of the right engine revealed no anomalies. The FAA Inspector removed the fuel injection servo and the fuel injection distribution valve from the right engine and had them tested at a certified repair station. The functional and visual inspections did not reveal any anomalies and all test parameters were within service specifications.. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4136D](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4136D-2019-02-04), registration cancelled 2019-02-04, S/N 3449101, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA 34-220T (220T) - Registry model: [Piper PA-34-220T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-220t) (registry code 7103420) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (registry code 17019, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 3449101 - Year built: 1999 - Airframe hours: 2622 - Engines: CONT MOTOR LTSIO-360 -2B 220 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR TSIO-360-2B 220 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 17, 2017, 60 hours before - Departed: ARR, Sugar Grove, IL - Destination: ICT, Wichita, KS - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ARR, Aurora Muni, runway 33, 5,503 × 100 ft, concrete - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review September 17, 2017; seat: left; flight hours: 2,300 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 2,180 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 5 knots - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft overcast - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: ARR ## 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 20171006014349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171006014349A), Oct 6, 2017: Piper PA-34-220T, Sugar Grove, IL, Substantial damage. N4136D was departing runway 27 on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan at aurora municipal airport, Sugar Grove, Illinois (karr). Shortly after… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96178. 651 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 479 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462004&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462005&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Record of Conversation with FSDO Inspector (item 3, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462006&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversation%20with%20FSDO%20Inspector-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 4, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462007&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-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.