# NTSB DFW06LA172: Piper PA-32-300, N70746, Midland, TX, June 29, 2006 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2006, 12:09 local (17:09 UTC) - Place: Midland, TX - Coordinates: 31.9997222222222, -102.019166666667 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.9997&lon=-102.0192&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 3, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 64023 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW06LA172 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/64023/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW06LA172 ## Probable cause The partial loss of engine power as result of the maintenance personnel's failure to comply with a manufacture's Service Bulletin (SB). A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, cruise - maintenance,service bulletin/letter - not complied with, other maintenance personnel (cause) - ignition system,magneto - failure (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - wire,transmission - On ground/water collision with object, emergency landing - unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - encountered (contributing factor) - object - other ## Analysis Shortly after departure, the airplane's engine lost partial power, and the 604-hour private pilot elected to perform an emergency landing to a road. While landing, the airplane's rotating beacon collided with an unmarked static transmission line and the left wing tip impacted a mailbox. An examination of the engine revealed that the right magneto had experienced an internal failure which resulted in its misfiring. The right magneto had been installed eight years previously and had accumulated approximately 469 hours since it was last rebuilt. A service bulletin previously issued by the magneto manufacturer stated, the "magneto must be overhauled or replaced at the expiration of five years since the date of original manufacture or last overhaul...without regard to accumulated operating hours." ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2006, about 1209 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 single-engine airplane, N70746, was substantially damaged during an emergency landing following a partial loss of engine power near Midland, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The 392-nautical mile cross-country flight originated at 1151 from the Midland Airpark (MDD) near Midland, Texas, and was destined for the Baytown Airport (HPY) near Baytown, Texas. According to the 604-hour private pilot, approximately 14 minutes after she departed MDD, the engine started to "sputter." The pilot reported that she turned on the boost pump and switched fuel tanks; however, the engine continued to "sputter." Since she was unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to perform an emergency landing to a road. Shortly before the airplane touched down, the rotating beacon, which was located on top of the vertical stabilizer, collided with an unmarked static transmission line. During the landing roll the left wing tip impacted a mailbox. A representative from the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and reported that the airplane's rudder had sustained structural damage. An examination of the engine revealed that the right magneto's distributor gear bushing had failed. A review of the engine logbook revealed that the right magneto, a Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) / Bendix S6LN-1200, P/N 10-349310-1, S/N H279705FR, had been installed on October 24, 1997, and had accumulated approximately 469 hours since it was last rebuilt. According to Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) service bulletin SB643B, section 3, paragraph C, a S-1200 "magneto must be overhauled or replaced at the expiration of five years since the date of original manufacture or last overhaul...without regard to accumulated operating hours." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N70746](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N70746-2022-07-02), registration cancelled 2022-07-02, S/N 32-40521, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32-300 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-300](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (registry code 7103212) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32-40521 - Airframe hours: 4455 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 1, 2005 - Departed: MDD, MIDLAND, TX - Destination: HPY, BAYTOWN, TX ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 604 total, 258 in this make and model, 358 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 97 °F ## 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 20060629012099A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060629012099A), Jun 29, 2006: Piper PA32300, Midland, TX, Substantial damage. (-23) On June 29, 2006, at approximately 1154 CDT, N70746, a Piper PA-32-300, departed from Midland airpark (mdd) in Midland, Texas, enroute to baytown, Texas,… 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.