- Date
- October 16, 1987, 16:03 local (23:03 UTC)
- Place
- San Mateo, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9097PPiper PA-24-260
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871016060159A
- Case key
- 25886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
While over the ocean, the pilot noted that the engine did not sound right and that the oil pressure indication had dropped to zero. Shortly afterward, the engine began to vibrate violently and seized. The pilot planned for a forced landing to an open field because of traffic on highways. The pilot elected to make an intentional wheels-up landing on upsloping terrain, resulting in a hard landing. Examination of the engine disclosed about 2 handfuls of metal flakes in the oil sump with the oil pump pickup screen clogged by metal flakes. There were no metal flakes in the engine oil filter. The no 6 connecting rod had failed and penetrated the engine case. The evidence indicated that the engine failure was initiated by the failure of a connecting rod bearing. The engine had been operated 23 hours since the most recent annual inspection.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9097P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-24-260
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 244573
- Airframe hours
- 2,464
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Graham, George R.
- Registered owner
- Graham, George R
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 26, 1986 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- PAO · Palo Alto, CA
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,039 total · 2,070 in this make and model · 4,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PAO, 10 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.
Other investigations on N9097P · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.