- Date
- March 31, 1997, 08:39 local (15:39 UTC)
- Place
- Continental, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2226TPiper PA-28R-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 14, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970331010179A
- Case key
- 29755
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 as a result of detonation in the number 2 cylinder for undetermined reasons. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable nature of the forced landing area.
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 airplane lost engine oil pressure followed by seizure of the engine. The flight instructor attempted to glide to a nearby private strip but had insufficient altitude and elected to land gear up on rough level terrain. Evidence of detonation was found in the number 2 cylinder. The number 2 piston was damaged and aluminum from the piston restricted the flow of oil. The number 2 piston rod bearing failed as a result of loss of lubrication. One of the bolts to the number 2 piston rod cap broke, jamming the rotation of the crankshaft. The reason for the detonation in the number 2 cylinder could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On March 31, 1997, at 0839 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28R-200, N2226T, lost engine power and landed gear up off the airport near Continental, Arizona. The airplane was being operated as an instructional flight by Leading Edge Aviation, Tucson, Arizona. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certified flight instructor received minor injuries and the certificated commercial pilot/student received serious injuries. The local flight originated in Tucson about 0820. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
The pilots reported the airplane lost engine oil pressure followed by seizure of the engine. The flight instructor attempted to glide to a nearby private landing strip but had insufficient altitude and elected to land gear up on rough level terrain.
After the accident, the engine was disassembled and examined by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airworthiness Inspector. According to the FAA, there was evidence of detonation in the number 2 cylinder. The number 2 piston was found damaged, and aluminum from the piston was found in the engine oil screen restricting the flow of oil. The number 2 piston rod bearing exhibited evidence of heat distress and appeared to the inspector to have failed as a result of loss of lubrication. One of the bolts to the number 2 piston rod cap was found broken, jamming the rotation of the crankshaft. According to the FAA inspector, the reason for the detonation in the number 2 cylinder could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2226T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28R-200
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28R-7135171
- Airframe hours
- 5,480
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-360-C1C, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leading Edge Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 27, 1997 · 67 hours before
- Departed
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
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
- 26
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,782 total · 134 in this make and model · 1,728 as pilot in command · 255 in the last 90 days · 92 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TUS
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.