- Date
- June 20, 1996, 08:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Littlefield, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N57836Piper PA-36-300
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960620014579A
- Case key
- 19875
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 total loss of engine power due to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
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 pilot reported that he made one pass over the field he intended to spray. When he lined up to make the second pass, the 'engine shook fiercely and locked down.' A forced landing was performed to the field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a terrace and became airborne. The airplane landed again a 'short distance away and came to a stop.' During the impact with the terrace, the landing gear separated from the aircraft and the fuselage sustained structural damage. Postcrash examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the loss of engine power was attributed to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods which had penetrated the engine case.
Factual narrative
On June 20, 1996, at 0830 central daylight time, a Piper PA-36-300, N57836, registered to and operated by a private owner under Title 14 CFR Part 137, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Littlefield, Texas. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local aerial application flight that originated 15 minutes before the accident. A flight plan was not filed.
The pilot reported that he made one pass over the field he intended to spray. When he lined up to make the second pass, the "engine shook fiercely and locked down." A forced landing was performed to the field. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted a terrace and became airborne. The airplane landed again a "short distance away and came to a stop." During the impact with the terrace, the landing gear separated from the aircraft and the fuselage sustained structural damage.
Post-crash examination of the engine by the operator revealed that the loss of engine power was attributed to the failure of the number 5 and 6 connecting rods which had penetrated the engine case.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N57836
- Reported as
- Piper PA-36-300
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 36-7760008
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1G5, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application · Part 137
- Registered owner
- Thomas C. Brown
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Departed
- Q00 · TX
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
- 42
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 5,000 total · 1,700 in this make and model · 4,940 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LBB, 45 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.