Piper PA-32RT-300T N2129G

Summary

On 31 January 1985 at about 19:24 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T registered N2129G was involved in an accident near Bishop, California, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 January 1985 at 19:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Bishop, California, United States

Nearest airport

Bishop (BIH)

Coordinates

37.5007, -118.3106

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300T

Registration

N2129G

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mammoth Lakes → Ontario

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX85FA130

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RPTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 11500 FT MSL, THE ENGINE EXPLODED CAUSING BOTH WINDSCREENS TO BE COVERED WITH OIL AND FIRE. THE FIRE STOPPED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT. THE ACFT LANDED ON RY 30 AT BISHOP ARPT, BISHOP, CA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. DISASSEMBLY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED CRANKSHAFT FAILED AT THE SHORT CHEEK BETWEEN THE NO. 3 MAIN JOURNAL & THE NO. 4 CRANKPIN. THE NOS. 3 & 4 CONNECTING RODS & CAMSHAFT WERE FRACTURED. THE PISTONS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY DETONATION. THE BACKSIDE OF THE CON RODS, MAIN JOURNAL BEARINGS & BOTH HALVES OF THE CRANKCASE SHOWED EXTENSIVE FRETTING SIGNATURES INDICATING MISALIGNMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED IN FATIGUE. ALL OTHER FRACTURES WERE OVERLOAD SUBSEQUENT TO THE CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 602 FLT HOURS SINCE NEW.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.