# NTSB MIA03LA090: Piper PA-28R-180, N4952J, Sarasota, FL, April 1, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 1, 2003, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC) - Place: Sarasota, FL - Coordinates: 27.561944, -82.395278 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.5619&lon=-82.3953&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 30, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56756 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA03LA090 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56756/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03LA090 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to the crankshaft bolt losing torque, the gear disengaging, and the engine ceasing to operate as a result of inadequate maintenance installation. ## 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, cruise - normal - maintenance,installation - inadequate, company maintenance personnel (cause) - engine assembly,gear - loose part/bolt/nut/clamp/etc - engine assembly,gear - disengaged - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - sign ## Analysis The pilot stated that he had performed maneuvers in the practice area and was on his way back to the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport, Sarasota, Florida, at 1,600 feet, when all of a sudden, the airplane's engine ceased operating. He said he made a forced landing and during the landing rollout the airplane collided with a curb and a sign, incurring damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the accident airplane revealed that the Bendix magneto had become displaced from its mount. In addition, there was a discontinuity within the engine accessory section. There was the presence of oil in the area of the airframe/engine tubular mount structure, and on the lower left portion of the fuselage. The crankshaft gear bolt was loose and had a flat mark on one of the threads, the lock tab was bent and twisted, and the dowel pin had sheared. The gears within the accessory section of the engine, including the impulse coupling for the left magneto were undamaged. There was also no damage to the crankshaft gear's teeth, and the center internal bore displayed signatures consistent with there having been a side load. The NTSB Metallurgical Laboratory in Washington DC, conducted an examination of the left "Bendix" magneto, the bottom magneto clamp, the dowel pin, the crankshaft gear, the lock tab, the crankshaft, and the crankshaft bolt. The damage noted was consistent with a loss of torque on the crankshaft assembly. The dowel was found to have fatigue fractures emanating from multiple origins at the outer diameter surface, consistent with having been produced by grinding and wear/fretting. Airplane records indicate that on September 1, 1993 the engine had undergone a field overhaul, had accumulated 1450.35 hours since the overhaul. On October 30, 2002, the engine had undergone maintenance, and had both the left and right crankcase halves replaced, about 200 hours before the accident. ## Factual narrative On April 1, 2003, about 1815 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-28R-180, N4952J, registered to and operated by Cirrus Aviation, as a Title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight, made a forced landing in Sarasota, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The private-rated pilot and one pilot-rated passenger were not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated in Sarasota, the same day, about 1725. The pilot stated that he had flown to the practice area and had performed steep turns, slow flight, and steep spirals, and was on his way back to the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport, Sarasota, Florida, at 1,600 feet, when all of a sudden, the airplane's engine ceased operating. He said he saw a road and elected to land on it, but a car later turned onto the road, so he chose to land on a field instead. During the landing rollout the airplane collided with a curb and a sign, incurring damage to the wings. Postaccident examinations of the accident airplane revealed that the left magneto, manufactured by "Bendix", was found to have wear on the aluminum flange in the area where the bottom mount clamp is normally secured. The clamp installed that was intended for a "Slick" manufactured magnetos, and the Bendix magneto had become displaced from its mount. In addition, there was a discontinuity within the engine accessory section. There was the presence of oil in the area of the airframe/engine tubular mount structure, and on the lower left portion of the fuselage. The crankshaft gear bolt was loose and had a flat mark on one of the threads, the lock tab was bent and twisted, and the dowel pin had sheared. The gears within the accessory section of the engine, including the impulse coupling for the left magneto. were undamaged. There was also no damage to the crankshaft gear's teeth, and the center internal bore displayed signatures consistent with there having been a side load. The NTSB Metallurgical Laboratory in Washington, D.C., conducted an examination of the left "Bendix" magneto, the bottom magneto clamp, the dowel pin, the crankshaft gear, the lock tab, the crankshaft, and the crankshaft bolt. The damage noted was consistent with a loss of torque on the crankshaft assembly. The dowel was found to have fatigue fractures emanating from multiple origins at the outer diameter surface, consistent with having been produced by grinding and wear/fretting. Airplane records indicate that on September 1, 1993, the engine had undergone a field overhaul, and had accumulated 1450.35 hours since the overhaul. On October 30, 2002, the engine had undergone maintenance and had both the left and right crankcase halves replaced about 200 hours before the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4952J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4952J-2017-02-28), registration cancelled 2017-02-28, S/N 28R-30698, built 1968 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-28R-180 - Registry model: [Piper PA-28R-180](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28r-180) (registry code 7102809) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 28R-30698 - Airframe hours: 5731 - Engines: Lycoming IO-360 200 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Cirrus Aviation - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 18, 2003, 55 hours before - Departed: SRQ, Sarasota, FL ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 29, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 388 total, 42 in this make and model, 327 as pilot in command, 19 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC) - Wind: 110° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.29 inHg - Observed at: SRQ ## 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 20030401015149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030401015149A), Apr 1, 2003: Piper PA28R180, Sarasota-Braden, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On April 1, 2003 at 1916 EST, a Piper PA-28P-180, N4952J, registered to Cirrus aviation, reported a rough running engine and landed in a soccer field 6… 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.