# NTSB LAX01LA154: Piper PA-22-135, N75343, Oxnard, CA, April 22, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 22, 2001, 15:42 local (22:42 UTC) - Place: Oxnard, CA - Coordinates: 34.189579, -119.170974 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1896&lon=-119.1710&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 28, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Textron Lycoming, Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 52111 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA154 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52111/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA154 ## Probable cause The fracture and separation of the number 3 cylinder exhaust valve head resulting in a loss of engine power and a forced landing. A factor in the accident was the soft field where the forced landing occurred. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - mech failure/malf, takeoff - initial climb - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - fractured (cause) - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - separation (cause) - Forced landing, landing - soft field landing/procedure - attempted, pilot in command - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis The airplane made an off field forced landing following a loss of engine power during climb out from a touch-and-go landing. The pilot had practiced touch-and-go landings for over an hour and experienced no difficulties with the airplane. After a break, he completed another preflight inspection and practiced more landings. As the airplane climbed through 200 feet on the fourth takeoff, the engine made a clunking noise and stopped producing power. He steered the airplane to an open field and landed on soft dirt, but the airplane dug in and damaged the wings, stabilizer, landing gear, and propeller. The engine had accumulated about 1,860 hours since it had been manufactured in 1953, and the factory had no record of it returning since that time. The engine had accumulated about 910 hours since a field overhaul in 1960, and about 255 hours since a "top overhaul" in 1970, when the exhaust valves were replaced. All cylinders were undamaged except cylinder No. 3, which exhibited extensive mechanical damage. The exhaust valve for cylinder No. 3 fractured and separated where the valve stem transitions to the valve head. The fracture surfaces on the valve pieces were obliterated by the mechanical damage. The piston face exhibited mechanical damage over most of its surface, which contained two holes. The corresponding push rod was slightly bent, but there was no evidence of the valve sticking. ## Factual narrative On April 22, 2001, at 1542 hours Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135, N75343, made an off field forced landing following a loss of engine power during climb out from Oxnard, California. The owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal, local flight departed Oxnard about 1515. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The pilot submitted a written statement. He filled the airplane with fuel and completed a preflight inspection. He practiced touch-and-go landings for over an hour and experienced no difficulties with the airplane. After a break, he completed another preflight inspection and practiced more landings. As the airplane climbed through 200 feet on the fourth takeoff, the engine made a clunking noise and stopped producing power. He steered the airplane to an open field and landed on soft dirt. The airplane dug into the soft dirt and sustained damage to the wings, stabilizer, landing gear, and propeller. The engine was an O-290-D2, serial number 6571-21. An engine logbook entry on April 11, 1960, recorded a field overhaul at a tachometer time of 951 hours. An entry on August 1, 1970, recorded a "top overhaul" at a tachometer time of 1,603 hours, and noted that the exhaust valves were replaced. The tachometer read 1,861.57 at the time of the accident. Textron Lycoming was a party to the investigation. An investigator from Lycoming examined the engine under the supervision of a Safety Board investigator. According to archived Lycoming records, the engine had been manufactured on November 9, 1953, and they had no record of it returning to the factory since that time. The investigator removed the top spark plugs and examined the cylinders with a lighted bore scope. All cylinders were undamaged except cylinder No. 3, which exhibited extensive mechanical damage. The investigator removed this cylinder. The exhaust valve for cylinder No. 3 fractured and separated where the valve stem transitions to the valve head. The fracture surfaces on the valve pieces were obliterated by the mechanical damage. The piston face exhibited mechanical damage over most of its surface, which contained two holes. The investigator observed that the corresponding push rod was slightly bent, but he did not observe evidence of the valve sticking. The valve stem measured approximately 13/32 inches, which met original factory specifications. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N75343](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N75343-2005-09-27), registration cancelled 2005-09-27, S/N 22-1927, built 1956 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-22-135 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22) (registry code 7102202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-290 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (registry code 41506, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 1927 - Airframe hours: 1861 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D2 135 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Stevan Batinic - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 30, 2000, 30 hours before - Departed: OXR, OXNARD, CA - Airport: OXR, Oxnard, runway 25, 5,950 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 50; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review May 19, 2000; seat: left; flight hours: 1,020 total, 300 in this make and model, 1,020 as pilot in command, 45 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 10 knots - Visibility: 9 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 50 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: OXR, 1 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20010422008619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010422008619A), Apr 22, 2001: Piper PA22, Oxnard, CA, Substantial damage. (.19)On April 22, 2001, about 1542 hours pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22, N75343, sustained substantial damage during an off field forced landing… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.