# NTSB CEN21LA049: Piper PA32, N33DW, Circleville, OH, November 8, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: November 8, 2020, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC) - Place: Circleville, OH - Coordinates: 39.524079, -82.981683 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5241&lon=-82.9817&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 102262 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN21LA049 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/102262/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102262 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA049 ## Probable cause The total loss of engine power due to an accessory drive gear that backed out impeding the other gears. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 497 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058500/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Aircraft maintenance event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 484 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/040/sequence.md) - [Takeoff: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-32-300, 25 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md?model=7103212), [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md) ## Analysis Shortly after takeoff, the airplane’s engine experienced a total loss of power. Unable to restore engine power and at low altitude, the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the engine found the accessory drive gears would not rotate when the propeller was turned. The reason the gears would not rotate was not located during that examination. After the airplane was released, a salvage facility performed a complete teardown of the engine and informed the pilot’s mechanic that one of the accessory drive gears appeared to have backed out which impeded the other gears. While likely this was the cause of the engine power loss, no further information and could not be obtained. ## Factual narrative On November 8, 2020, about 1430 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N33DW, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Circleville, Ohio. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that at 1330, he departed Fairfield County Airport (LHQ), Lancaster, Ohio, with full fuel tanks, about 84 gallons distributed in 4 fuel tanks. The pilot flew several instrument procedures and approaches before landing at Pickaway County Memorial Airport, Circleville, Ohio (CYO). At 1430, he departed CYO and shortly after he retracted the flaps, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to restore engine power and, due to the low altitude, he was unable to make it back to the airport, so he performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wing spars. The responding Federal Aviation Administration inspector performed a visual inspection of the airplane and found fuel in the tanks. The fuel was sumped and did not exhibit evidence of water or other contamination. An examination of the engine found that the accessory drive gear was disconnected from the crankshaft, with no movement from the accessories when the engine was rotated. The fuel selector was removed and examined. Several discrepancies were found with the fuel selector, but none that could be directly linked to a loss of engine power. After the wreckage was released, the pilot reported that when then engine was completely disassembled, one of the accessory drive gears had backed out and was binding the other gears in the accessory case. This information could not be confirmed via statement from maintenance personnel or photos. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N33DW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N33DW-2021-10-22), registration cancelled 2021-10-22, S/N 32-7140031, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA32 (300) - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (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: 32-7140031 - Year built: 1971 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Klo Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: Onboard weather, Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review October 19, 2019; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,618 total, 1,453 in this make and model, 1,573 as pilot in command, 10.7 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 77 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: KLCK, 18 nm away - METAR: METAR KLCK 081955Z AUTO 07003KT 10SM CLR 25/10 A3029 RMK AO2 T02480096= ## 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 20201108020969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201108020969A), Nov 8, 2020: Piper PA-32-300, Substantial damage. On November 8 2020 at circleville Ohio airport (cyo) N33DW, a Piper PA-32-300, was taking off from runway 1 when the engine stopped functioning. The pilot who… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 15, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=102262. 1.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 906 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14339020&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%20Completed_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA notes (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 195 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14339423&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Notes-Rel.pdf - Case findings (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 101 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14312004&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Case%20Findings%20CEN21LA049-Rel.pdf - Release of aircraft wreckage, NTSB form 6120.15 (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 150 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14339547&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=N33DW%20release%20for%20NTSB_Redacted-Rel.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.