# NTSB WPR11LA340: Piper PA-24-250, N5532P, Lopez, WA, July 17, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2011, 18:30 local (Jul 17, 2011, 01:30 UTC) - Place: Lopez, WA - Coordinates: 48.541389, -122.887222 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=48.5414&lon=-122.8872&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 81174 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11LA340 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81174/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81174 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA340 ## Probable cause A partial loss of engine power due to a cracked engine case near the rear cylinder. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Engine (reciprocating): recip eng cyl section](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 373 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01058530/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: fence/fence post](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 313 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022047/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-250, 55 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102404), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during cruise flight, he heard a loud bang and felt a vibration. The cockpit filled with smoke, and oil covered the windshield, both of which compromised the pilot's view. He opened a side vent window and regained visibility. The pilot chose to land on a nearby landing strip. During the landing roll, the pilot realized that the strip was short and wet, so he intentionally placed the airplane in a "ground slide." Before the airplane came to a stop, its left wing struck a fence post, which caused structural damage to the airplane. The pilot reported that, during his postaccident examination of the airplane, he observed a crack in the engine case near the rear cylinder on the engine's left side. No further examination was accomplished. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2011, at 1830 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N5532P, experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight. The pilot subsequently made a forced landing to a private grass strip near Lopez, Washington. The owner/pilot operated the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. During the landing roll, the left wing was substantially damaged when it struck a fence post. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Roche Harbor Airport (WA09), Roche Harbor, Washington, at 1815. The flight was destined for Frontier Airpark (WN53), Lake Stevens, Washington. No flight plan had been filed.The pilot reported that the airplane was in cruise flight about 2,000 feet near Spencer Island. He heard a loud bang, felt an extreme vibration, had smoke in the cockpit, and oil covered the windshield. He reduced engine power to idle, opened the side vent window, and was able to regain visibility. He chose the closest landing strip, and landed the airplane. On the landing rollout, the pilot stated that the grass strip was shorter than what he would need to bring the airplane to a stop and the runway surface was wet. He intentionally placed the airplane in a "ground slide," and prior to coming to a stop, the left wing struck a fence post. During the post-accident inspection of the engine, the pilot observed a crack in the engine block near the rear cylinder on the pilot's side. No further examination was accomplished. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5532P](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5532P), registered now, S/N 24-596, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-596 - Airframe hours: 6200 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-A1D5 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 15, 2010, 35 hours before - Departed: WA09, Roche Harbor, WA - Destination: WN53, Lake Stevens, WA - Airport: 4WA4, Windsock Airport, runway 20, 1,800 × 50 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 16, 2010; seat: left; flight hours: 2,100 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 2,016 as pilot in command, 30 in the last 90 days, 15 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 3,600 ft broken - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.80 inHg - Observed at: FHR, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20110716013919A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110716013919A), Jul 16, 2011: Piper PA-24-250, Lopez Island, WA, Substantial damage. While enroute VFR, from roche harbor WA. To lake stevens, WA. In cruise flight at 2000MSL the aircraft engine made a loud noise, accompanied by extreme… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81174. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 537 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424528&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 390 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424529&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - San Juan County Sherrif’s Office Report (item 3, .PDF, 73 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424532&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=San%20Juan%20County%20Sherrif%E2%80%99s%20Office%20Report-Redacted.PDF 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.