- Date
- July 3, 1992, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Port Isabel, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N46RJPiper PA-44-180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920703055259A
- Case key
- 18531
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 power to the right engine due to a fractured crankshaft while the left engine was secured. Factors were the dual students failure to use carburetor heat while performing maneuvers and the unsuitable terrain.
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
The dual student had performed several maneuvers with the left engine windmilling and did not use carburetor heat when carburetor icing conditions prevailed. Upon completing a maneuver and returning to cruise flight, a power loss occurred to the left engine. The instructor took over the flight controls and initiated a normal descent toward a nearby airport. During the descent, he secured the left engine. As the airplane turned base to final approach, the right engine's crankshaft fractured and a forced landing had to be made to unsuitable terrain approximately 1/4 mile from the runway. The left engine was successfully test run after the accident. A teardown of the right engine revealed the fractured crankshaft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N46RJ
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 44-8195006
- Airframe hours
- 11,242
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-E1A6D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Southwind Flt Trng System Inc
- Registered owner
- Avlease Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 13, 1992 · 95 hours before
- Departed
- BRO · Brownsville, TX
- Airport
- T31 · Port Isabel-Cameron Cty, runway 13, 8,000 × 200 ft, concrete
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
- 33
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 871 total · 140 in this make and model · 802 as pilot in command · 283 in the last 90 days · 88 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 77 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.