- Date
- October 4, 2020, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Fulton, NY
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6179UPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20201004012799A
- Case key
- 102093
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 mechanic’s improper maintenance, which resulted in the crankshaft expansion plug dislodging in flight and a subsequent forced landing.
Findings · 2
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
Shortly after takeoff, the engine crankshaft expansion plug dislodged, and oil started to cover the airplane’s windscreen. The pilot attempted to return to, and land on the departure runway; however, the airplane subsequently touched down more than halfway down the runway. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane and it went off the runway and struck a chain link fence, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and both wings. The crankshaft expansion plug was installed during maintenance that was performed 3 days prior to the accident. The mechanic who performed the maintenance stated that he installed the crankshaft plug using a ball peen hammer; instead of following the procedures outlined by the engine manufacturer; which called for the use of a special tool to properly deform and seat the plug. The mechanic said that he has used a ball peen hammer in the past to install crankshaft plugs with success; however, in this instance, the plug did not seat properly, dislodged, and allowed oil to exit the end of the crankshaft in flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6179U
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (160)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-115
- Built
- 164
- Airframe hours
- 2,792.7
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2B, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 2020 · 1 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- FZY · Oswego County, runway 24, 3,996 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- BasicMed, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 170 total · 13.3 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.19 inHg
- Observed at
- FZY
Docket · 7
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 17, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 15.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.