- Date
- September 18, 2008, 16:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Augusta, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N6822JPiper PA-32R-300
- Defining event
- Enroute: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 22, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Avaiation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080918848019A
- Case key
- 68995
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
A loose oil line that resulted in a total loss of engine oil, causing the engine to cease.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The private pilot was returning to his departure airport after a local area flight when the engine failed as he was preparing to enter the traffic pattern. The pilot stated in an interview that he noticed the engine revolutions per minute at the red line and that it could not be controlled by the propeller lever. The pilot declared an emergency and within approximately 30 seconds the engine failed and the propeller stopped. During the forced landing, while the pilot attempted to align the aircraft with the runway, the left wing contacted the ground and the aircraft slid to a stop near the end of the runway. The pilot was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. An on-scene investigation conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the engine sump did not contain oil. It was determined that the oil cooler interconnect line on the left oil cooler was only finger tight, which resulted in an oil leak and subsequent loss of all engine oil. No other leaks were found and no other engine anomalies were noted.
Factual narrative
The private pilot was returning to his departure airport after a local area flight when the engine failed as he was preparing to enter the traffic pattern. The pilot stated in an interview that he noticed the engine RPM at the red line and that it could not be controlled by the propeller lever. The pilot declared an emergency and within approximately 30 seconds the engine failed and the propeller stopped. During the forced landing, while attempting to align the aircraft with the runway, the left wing contacted the ground and the aircraft slid to a stop near the end of the runway. The pilot, sole occupant was not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. An on scene investigation conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector revealed that the engine sump did not contain oil. It was determined that the oil cooler interconnect line on the left oil cooler was only finger tight which resulted in an oil leak and subsequent loss of all engine oil. No other leaks were found and no other engine anomalies were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6822J
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7680357
- Airframe hours
- 3,596
- Engine
- Lycoming TI0-540 SER, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 4, 2008
- Departed
- KICT · Wichita, KS
- Destination
- 3AU · Augusta, KS
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- 3AU · Augusta Municipal Airport, runway 18, 4,199 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,140 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.15 inHg
- Observed at
- KAIB, 8 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.