Piper PA-32RT-300 N9385C

Summary

On 13 September 1997 at about 16:15 local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300 registered N9385C was involved in an accident near Oxford, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 September 1997 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Oxford, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Henderson-Oxford (HNZ)

Coordinates

36.3106, -78.5807

Aircraft

Piper PA-32RT-300

Registration

N9385C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Raleigh → Warrington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA97LA243

Nobody was injured.

fatigue failure of the No.4 connecting rod in an area where galling had occurred, which resulted in loss of engine power and a forced landing. Related factors were: the pilot's lack of communication by failing to select the proper UNICOM frequency; and his failure or inability to flare the airplane during the forced landing, while avoiding another airplane that was landing on the same runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight, the pilot felt a vibration, which continued. Subsequently, oil began covering the windshield, and the engine lost power. The flight was vectored toward a nearby airport, but the pilot did not communicate his intentions of a forced landing over the correct UNICOM frequency. Due to an airplane ahead, he landed hard on the displaced portion of the runway. Several holes were noted in the crankcase near the Nos. 1 and 4 cylinders. Examination of the engine revealed that the connecting rods for the Nos. 1 and 4 cylinders had failed. Metallurgical examination of the failed components revealed high stress low cycle fatigue on the No. 4 rod. Also, galling was noted in critical areas on the Nos. 1, 2, and 4 connecting rods and/or caps. A service bulletin indicated that galling in critical areas could cause failure of connecting rods, and galling could occur as a result of high loading such as during engine overspeed or operation with excessive manifold pressure. The engine had been overhauled by the manufacturer and had accumulated about 1,252 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.