- Date
- September 8, 1992, 13:10 local (20:10 UTC)
- Place
- Baker, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N20926Piper PA-32RT-300T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920908035569A
- Case key
- 27755
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 unknown pilots improper use of the throttles which resulted in the overboosting of the engine. Contributing to the accident was the maintenance personnel improper maintenance in adjusting the turbocharger wastegate and the oil leaking from the engine after the catastrophic failure which restricted the pilot's visual outlook.
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
A Piper 32RT 300T, landed hard on dirt strip after experiencing a total loss of engine power. The pilot heard a loud bang while cruising at 13,500 MSL. Oil from the engine obscured the pilot's vision through the windshield. The pilot secured the engine and selected a dirt strip near an automobile salvage yard as a forced landing area. During the landing the airplane struck an automobile. Safety board investigators found a hole in the engine crankcase in the vicinity of the number 1 and number 2 cylinders during the preliminary examination. Disassembly of the engine revealed the numbers 1 and 2 connecting rods were broken and the number 1 connecting rod contained a galled spot on its connecting rod bearing surface. Subsequent examination of the five remaining connecting rods revealed evidence of galling between the connecting rod bearing face and rod bearing. According to the engine manufacturer, galling between the connecting rod bearing face and rod bearing is caused by periods of high loading due to overspeed or excessive manifold pressure. About 15 days or 6 flight hours, the turbocharger wastegate was adjusted by maintenance personnel. The pilot indicated that there were no unusual instrument indications before the engine failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N20926
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32RT-300T (PA-32RT-30)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-7887181
- Airframe hours
- 2,047
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Reuling-Hardy, Nancy
- Registered owner
- Reuling-Hardy, Nancy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 5, 1992 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- BUR · Burbank, CA
- Destination
- SLC · Salt Lake City, UT
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 60
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,601 total · 256 in this make and model · 7,000 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAG, 43 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.