Piper PA-28R-200 N4531F

Summary

On 16 February 2000 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N4531F was involved in an accident near Mount Holly, New Jersey, 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

16 February 2000 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mount Holly, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

South Jersey Regional (7MY)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N4531F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mount Holly → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC00LA082

Nobody was injured.

Engine failure due to the disconnection of the intake manifold from the #3 cylinder, as a result of improper maintenance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After departure, at an altitude of 350 feet above the ground, the engine experienced a total power loss, and the pilot performed an emergency landing in a field. Examination of the engine revealed that the #3 cylinder intake manifold tube was disconnected from the engine and lying in the cowling. The bottom portion of the tube appeared to be 'flattened.' The bolts and washers which connect the intake manifold tube to the cylinder were not found, as well as the 'o-ring' which connects the tube to the manifold. The inspector observed 'flakes,' or metal shavings, in the induction box of the intake manifold. The 'flakes' were consistent with the material of the intake manifold tube. The inspector reported the #3 exhaust manifold was broken at the muffler and appeared worn. The accident engine was installed on the accident airplane on September 20, 1999, at which time an annual inspection was also performed. No additional entries were made in either the airframe or the engine logbooks. At the time of the accident, the engine had flown 96 hours since major overhaul, and had accumulated 1,197 total flight hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.