Fpna A-22 VALOR N721FP

Summary

On 23 December 2009 at about 20:32 local time, a Fpna A-22 VALOR registered N721FP, operated by Costal Empire Flight Training Academy LLC, was involved in an accident near Hunting Island, South 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

23 December 2009 at 20:32

Classification

Accident

Location

Hunting Island, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

32.0892, -80.9597

Aircraft

Fpna A-22 VALOR

Registration

N721FP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Costal Empire Flight Training Academy LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Savannah → Savannah

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10LA100

Nobody was injured.

Maintenance personnel's inadequate inspection of the oil system's fittings during a routine oil servicing, which resulted in oil starvation due to a loose and/or detached oil line B-nut fitting that led to the engine seizing while in flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While maneuvering as part of a formation flight, the pilot noticed that the electronic instruments were dimming and that the oil pressure gauge indicated zero. About 10 seconds later, the engine seized and the pilot performed a forced landing on a dirt road. The airplane incurred substantial damage during landing when it veered into a ditch. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No.1 cylinder's connecting rod was protruding through the top of the engine case. Upon removal of the engine cowling, the brass B-nut was found separated from the oil cooler fitting. There was no apparent damage to the threads on the inside of the nut and no damage on the outside of the fitting. Oil was present in the oil sump and on the oil dipstick. The engine had a dry sump forced lubrication system. The oil pump extracts the oil from the oil tank via the oil cooler and forces it through the oil filter to the engine. According to notations found in the airplane's maintenance logbook, the engine's oil had been changed 1.6 flight hours prior to the accident. According to the owner, maintenance personnel did not touch the oil cooler or fittings during the oil change service. The engine manufacturer’s Service Instructions manual had a warning associated with servicing and purging of the oil system. The warning stated that maintenance personnel should carefully check all lubrication system connections, lines and clamps for leaks and security.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.