# NTSB ERA12WA136: Piper PA36, Machala, Ecuador, November 23, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Foreign investigation
- Date: November 23, 2011, 20:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place: Machala, Ecuador
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: FAA International Field Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 82605
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA12WA136
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82605/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82605
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12WA136

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,820 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341/sequence.md)
- [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md)
- [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On November 23, 2011, about 2000 coordinated universal time, a Piper PA-36-300, Ecuadorian registration HC-BHJ, operated by Aerorient Fumigacion Aerea, was substantially damaged when the pilot made a forced landing following loss of engine power in a banana plantation. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight originated from Machala Airport (MCH) Machala, Ecuador, at an undetermined time. The pilot stated he was performing his second swath run when he heard an explosion from the engine. He observed smoke and the engine started losing power. He jettisoned his load of chemicals and made a forced landing to the banana plantation. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ecuador. Further information can be obtained from: Dirección General de Aviación Civil Junta Investigadora de Accidentes de la República del Ecuador Avenida Colón E5-56 y La Rábida Edificio Ave María Torre Sur Quito, República del Ecuador Tel: 593-02-223-8981 www.dgac.gov.ec This report is for informational purposes, and only contains information released by the Government of Ecuador.

## Aircraft

- Registration: HCBHJ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA36 (300)
- Category: Airplane
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operator: Aerorient Fumigation Air
- Registered owner: Aerorient Fumigation Air
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: MCH, Machala
- Destination: MCH, Machala

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; injuries: none; foreign; seat: left

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observed at: MCH

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 5, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82605. 42 KB in all.

- Foreign Accident Statement (item 1, .PDF, 42 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40360893&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Foreign%20Accident%20Statement-Master.PDF

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.

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