Piper PA-28-181 N30997

Summary

On 8 April 2012 at about 02:25 local time, a Piper PA-28-181 registered N30997 was involved in an accident near Casper, Wyoming, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 April 2012 at 02:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Casper, Wyoming, United States

Nearest airport

Casper (CPR)

Coordinates

43.0336, -106.5831

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-181

Registration

N30997

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Riverton → Mitchell

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR12LA161

2 people had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to a failed piston pin plug, which resulted in engine oil contamination and subsequent oil starvation. Contributing to the loss of power was the failure of maintenance personnel to identify contaminants produced by the failing plug during the last oil filter inspection.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During cruise flight, the engine sustained a reduction in oil pressure followed by a total loss of power. The student pilot then performed a forced landing into a field. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed that a piston pin plug had disintegrated, the fragments of which contaminated the oil passages and caused oil starvation and the subsequent engine seizure. The engine's manufacturer issued a service instruction warning of such piston pin wear, recommending oil filter element inspection or spectrographic oil analysis at each oil change, not to exceed 50 hours of engine operation. The engine had undergone an oil change about 8 flight hours prior to the accident and the mechanic reported that the oil filter element appeared to be normal. Based on the relatively short period between the last oil filter inspection and the engine failure, the oil filter inspection should have revealed ample evidence of piston pin wear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.