- Date
- April 10, 1987, 00:15 local (05:15 UTC)
- Place
- Pine Center, MN
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N56721Piper PA-32-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Status
- Completed · report January 11, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870410008919A
- Case key
- 13585
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After noticing a loss in oil pressure, the pilot initiated an emergency landing in a swamp. The aircraft impacted trees and received substantial damage. The pilot reported minor injuries. Subsequent investigation revealed that the oil sump contained several metal pieces, shavings of bearing material, the head portion of a connecting rod bolt, and a section of the oil pump coupling to the aft crankshaft gear. One of the teeth on the impeller of the oil pump was found to have completely separated and wedged between the impeller and the oil pump housing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56721
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 327400006
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-E4B5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Larry M. Hetrick
- Registered owner
- Ronald Bode
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 8, 1987 · 51 hours before
- Departed
- STP · Saint Paul, MN
- Destination
- PKD · Park Rapids, MN
- Flight plan
- IFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 644 total · 18 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/bright
- Wind
- 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AXN, 62 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.