- Date
- May 14, 1989, 09:13 local (14:13 UTC)
- Place
- Waunakee, WI
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N7465PPiper PA-24-250
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890514013989A
- Case key
- 14349
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Slippage of a bearing, which resulted in blockage of the lubrication system, and subsequent failure of a connecting rod.
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
As the aircraft was climbing from takeoff, the pilot noticed an unusual engine noise & oil pressure fluctuations. When he realized the aircraft would not reach the airport, he shut down the engine & made a wheels up landing in a newly planted corn field. Examination of the engine revealed evidence of oil starvation of the #4 rod bearing, the #5 rod bearing & the main bearing, then subsequent failure of the #5 rod. There was evidence that the occurrence was initiated by slippage of a bearing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7465P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-250
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24-2655
- Airframe hours
- 3,725
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-A1B5, 250 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Carlton Hollnagel
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 28, 1988 · 375 hours before
- Departed
- WI06 · Waunakee, IL
- Destination
- C09 · Morris, IL
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,300 total · 2,600 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MSN, 6 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.