Piper PA-22 N875A

Summary

On 27 July 1998 at about 13:23 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N875A was involved in an accident near Muskegon, Michigan, United States. One person was 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

27 July 1998 at 13:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Muskegon, Michigan, United States

Coordinates

43.2409, -86.2495

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N875A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pontiac → Oshkosh

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA279

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to a broken number 4 cylinder connecting rod for undetermined reasons. Contributing to this accident was the road embankment.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was in cruise flight, just over Lake Michigan, when the pilot felt the engine's power 'sag for just an instant and then engine noises started.' The 'noises' were 'light at first' and then increased in volume. Then the engine began to shake violently, eventually shaking the entire airframe. The pilot shut down the engine and turned the airplane back toward the shore. The pilot set up to land on a section of two-lane road near a highway. The pilot said that when he was on 'short, short final (about 15 to 20 feet above ground level),' he stalled the airplane. The airplane 'rebounded' approximately 5 feet into the air and weathervaned so that the pilot was looking at some trees. The pilot applied full left rudder just before the airplane touched down again. the airplane slid sideways until it came to a stop. Examination of the airplane's engine revealed the number four cylinder connecting rod was broken. A 2-inch diameter hole was located in the top aft portion of the engine crankcase. Oil was found covering the windscreen.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.