# NTSB CHI06CA098: Piper PA-28-180, N7810N, Holly, MI, March 7, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 7, 2006, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC) - Place: Holly, MI - Coordinates: 42.665279, -83.418609 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6653&lon=-83.4186&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 30, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Detroit, MI FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 63323 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI06CA098 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/63323/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI06CA098 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. Factors associated with the accident were the guard rail and the ditch which the airplane contacted during the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - normal - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - object - wall/barricade (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, emergency landing - terrain condition - ditch (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane contacted a guard rail and a ditch during a forced landing on an interstate highway following a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported he initially flew past his intended destination airport and was turning back to the airport when loss of power occurred. He stated they were at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine started to sputter intermittently. He reported that he immediately checked the engine gauges which looked normal, and he switched fuel tanks. The pilot reported that upon reaching an altitude of about 2,000 msl, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot reported he applied carburetor heat and since he had the mixture leaned, he moved the mixture control to full rich. The pilot stated that he attempted to restart the engine to no avail. The pilot reported his choices of a place to land included a small field, a gravel pit, or the highway. He chose the highway. He reported that he intentionally kept his speed between 75 and 80 miles per hour during the landing to match the speed of the traffic on the highway. The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced and contacted a guard rail. The airplane then spun around and contacted a ditch prior to coming to rest. Following the accident the airplane was secured on a flat bed trailer and an engine test run was conducted using an alternate fuel supply. The engine started and ran smooth up to 1,900 rpm. No mechanical failure/malfunction was found which would have resulted in the loss of engine power. ## Factual narrative The airplane contacted a guard rail and a ditch during a forced landing on an interstate highway following a total loss of engine power. The pilot reported he initially flew past his intended destination airport and was turning back to the airport when loss of power occurred. He stated they were at 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when the engine started to sputter intermittently. He reported that he immediately checked the engine gauges which looked normal, and he switched fuel tanks. The pilot reported that upon reaching an altitude of about 2,000 msl, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot reported he applied carburetor heat and since he had the mixture leaned, he moved the mixture control to full rich. The pilot stated he attempted to restart the engine to no avail. The pilot reported his choices of a place to land included a small field, a gravel pit, or the highway. He chose the highway. He reported that he intentionally kept his speed between 75 and 80 miles per hour during the landing to match the speed of the traffic on the highway. The pilot reported that during the landing the airplane bounced and contacted a guard rail. The airplane then spun around and contacted a ditch prior to coming to rest. Following the accident the airplane was secured on a flat bed trailer and an engine test run was conducted using an alternate fuel supply. According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector who over saw the test, the engine started and ran smooth up to 1,900 rpm. No mechanical failure/malfunction was found which would have resulted in the loss of engine power. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7810N](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7810N-2006-07-11), registration cancelled 2006-07-11, S/N 28-5261, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-180) (registry code 7102808) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28-5261 - Engines: Lycoming O-360-A4A 180 hp reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Mark U. Heinl - Registered owner: Lakefield Flyers Limited - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CQA, Celina, OH - Destination: Y47, New Hudson, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 114 total, 114 in this make and model, 55 as pilot in command, 4 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 10 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: PTK ## 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 20060307004269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060307004269A), Mar 7, 2006: Piper PA28180, Waterford, MI, Destroyed. (-23) On March 7, 2006, N7810N a Piper PA-28-180 engine "sputtered" at approximately 3000 ft AGL. The pilot in command switched fuel tanks and applied… 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.