- Date
- September 4, 1989, 21:15 local (Sep 5, 1989, 02:15 UTC)
- Place
- Chanhassen, MN
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8068CPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890904033579A
- Case key
- 34860
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
Engine assembly dowell pin sheared causing total powerplant failure and inadequate visual lookout by the driver of the ground vehicle.
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 on a night, cross country flight, the pilot said that the engine failed. The pilot was able to make an emergency landing on a highway without damage to the aircraft. While the pilot and passengers were in the fully stopped aircraft, it was struck by a motor vehicle, damaging the left wing. Post accident investigation revealed a rear crankshaft dowell pin had sheared, causing all rear engine driven accessories and the camshaft to cease operation, resulting in powerplant failure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8068C
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8216099
- Airframe hours
- 2,370
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Thunderbird Aircraft Co.
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 5, 1989 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- STC · St. Cloud, MN
- Destination
- Y12 · Lakeville, MN
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 140 total · 60 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 90 in the last 90 days · 75 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FCM, 5 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.