- Date
- July 31, 1994, 09:16 local (14:16 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N32736Piper PA-28-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940731019689A
- Case key
- 9618
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
the loss of engine power due to the failure of the number one cylinder.
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
While in cruise flight, the private pilot heard a loud bang and the airplane then lost all engine power. The pilot immediately made a 180 degree turn in an attempt to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport, but he was not able to maintain enough altitude to reach the runway. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a vertical position. Postaccident examination revealed the number one cylinder head had fractured.
Factual narrative
On July 31, 1994, at 0916 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28, N32736, was destroyed following a complete loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing in a wooded area near Fort Wayne, Indiana. The private pilot reported no injuries, the one passenger reported minor injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight originated in Huntington, Indiana, on a VFR flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot's statement, he was approximately five miles northeast of Fort Wayne Airport when he heard a loud bang and the airplane then lost all engine power. He immediately made a 180 degree turn in an attempt to make an emergency landing at Fort Wayne Airport. The pilot was unable to maintain enough altitude to safely make it to the runway. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest in a vertical position.
Postaccident examination revealed the number one cylinder head had fractured.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N32736
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7535083
- Airframe hours
- 1,448
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert C. Randol
- Registered owner
- Robert C. Randol
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 1994 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- HHG · Huntington, IL
- Destination
- NONE · Wauseon, OH
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 41
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,503 total · 590 in this make and model · 1,354 as pilot in command · 53 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.