Piper PA-22-135 N75343

Summary

On 22 April 2001 at about 22:42 local time, a Piper PA-22-135 registered N75343 was involved in an accident near Oxnard, California, 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

22 April 2001 at 22:42

Classification

Accident

Location

Oxnard, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oxnard (OXR)

Coordinates

34.1896, -119.1710

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-135

Registration

N75343

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oxnard → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX01LA154

Nobody was injured.

The fracture and separation of the number 3 cylinder exhaust valve head resulting in a loss of engine power and a forced landing. A factor in the accident was the soft field where the forced landing occurred.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane made an off field forced landing following a loss of engine power during climb out from a touch-and-go landing. The pilot had practiced touch-and-go landings for over an hour and experienced no difficulties with the airplane. After a break, he completed another preflight inspection and practiced more landings. As the airplane climbed through 200 feet on the fourth takeoff, the engine made a clunking noise and stopped producing power. He steered the airplane to an open field and landed on soft dirt, but the airplane dug in and damaged the wings, stabilizer, landing gear, and propeller. The engine had accumulated about 1,860 hours since it had been manufactured in 1953, and the factory had no record of it returning since that time. The engine had accumulated about 910 hours since a field overhaul in 1960, and about 255 hours since a "top overhaul" in 1970, when the exhaust valves were replaced. All cylinders were undamaged except cylinder No. 3, which exhibited extensive mechanical damage. The exhaust valve for cylinder No. 3 fractured and separated where the valve stem transitions to the valve head. The fracture surfaces on the valve pieces were obliterated by the mechanical damage. The piston face exhibited mechanical damage over most of its surface, which contained two holes. The corresponding push rod was slightly bent, but there was no evidence of the valve sticking.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.