- Date
- March 26, 1997, 17:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- N Little Rock, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4802HPiper PA-17
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 30, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970326003749A
- Case key
- 20183
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
loss of engine power due to failure of the crankshaft. A factor relating to the accident 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
After takeoff, at about 1500 feet MSL, the engine 'developed roughness and knocking noises.' The engine quit developing power while the airplane was over a residential area. During a forced landing to an 'unfinished' road, the airplane's right wing impacted a small pine tree, which spun the airplane around. The left wing struck another tree before the airplane came to a stop. Both wings were damaged, and the lower rear longeron in the fuselage was bent. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed that the engine crankshaft had fractured 'between the throws for the #1 and #2 rods.' The camshaft was also 'broken in half by the #1 throw.' Time since the last engine overhaul was 108.7 hours.
Factual narrative
On March 26, 1997 at 1730 central standard time, a Piper PA-17, N4802H, registered to and operated by LR Air, Inc., was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during flight near North Little Rock, Arkansas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 local flight which originated from the North Little Rock Municipal Airport at 1700. A flight plan was not filed.
The pilot reported that, after takeoff from North Little Rock Airport, at about 1500 feet MSL, the engine "developed roughness and knocking noises." The engine quit developing power while the airplane was over a residential area. During the forced landing to an "unfinished" road, the airplane's right wing impacted a small pine tree, which spun the airplane around. The left wing struck another tree before the airplane came to a stop. Both wings were damaged, and the lower rear longeron in the fuselage was bent.
Examination of the engine by the FAA inspector revealed that the engine crankshaft had fractured "between the throws for the #1 and #2 rods." The camshaft was also "broken in half by the #1 throw." The time since the last engine overhaul was 108.7 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4802H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-17
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17-118
- Engine
- Continental A65-8, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- L R Air, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 1, 1996
- Departed
- 1M1 · No. Little Rock, AR
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
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 171 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4802H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.