- Date
- August 31, 2004, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Chazy, NY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N123LZPZL 101
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 13, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040831022119A
- Case key
- 60077
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 total loss of engine power due to the fractured crankshaft.
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
Approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the engine "locked up" without warning. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, and during the landing, the airplane impacted a ditch, substantially damaging the airplane. Examination of the radial engine revealed that the crankshaft was fractured. Additionally, as the propeller was rotated, an "audible crunching sound" was heard from the accessory gearbox. Fuel was observed in both fuel tanks and fuel continuity was confirmed to the engine. The oil sump was empty; however, a significant amount of oil was observed under the engine. Additionally, the oil tank was ruptured, and the amount of oil could not be determined.
Factual narrative
On August 31, 2004, at 1030 eastern daylight time, N123LZ, an experimental PZL 101 airplane, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a loss of power near Chazy, New York. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight which originated at a private airstrip in Swanton, Vermont, and was destined for the Upper Cumberland Regional Airport (SRB), Sparta, Tennessee. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that approximately 20 minutes after takeoff, the engine "locked up" without warning. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, and during the landing, the airplane impacted a ditch, substantially damaging the airplane.
Examination of the radial engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the crankshaft was fractured. Additionally, as the inspector rotated the propeller, an "audible crunching sound" was heard from the accessory gearbox.
Fuel was observed in both fuel tanks and fuel continuity was confirmed to the engine. The oil sump was empty; however, a significant amount of oil was observed under the engine. Additionally, the oil tank was ruptured, and the amount of oil could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N123LZ
- Reported as
- PZL 101
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 119-265
- Airframe hours
- 1,420
- Engine
- PZL AI-14R, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Langford
- Registered owner
- Bill Austin
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2004 · 6 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Swanton, VT
- Destination
- SRB · Sparta, TN
- Airport
- None
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 1, 2004
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,000 total · 1 in this make and model · 7,900 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 5,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Observed at
- PLB, 12 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.