Piper PA-24-260 N8546P

Summary

On 17 August 2012 at about 02:54 local time, a Piper PA-24-260 registered N8546P, operated by David F. Osborne, was involved in an accident near Holton, Kansas, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one 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

17 August 2012 at 02:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Holton, Kansas, United States

Coordinates

39.4539, -95.7889

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-260

Registration

N8546P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

David F. Osborne

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mitchell → Topeka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN12LA551

2 people were seriously injured.

The mechanic's failure to adequately torque the right magneto attachment nuts, allowing the right magneto to come loose, which allowed engine oil to escape, causing the engine to seize.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a cross-country flight, the pilot and passengers smelled something burning; smoke began to fill the cockpit, and the oil pressure dropped. The propeller then oversped, and the engine seized. In the ensuing forced landing in the dark, the airplane struck trees and impacted a ditch. The engine was covered with oil, and the right magneto was found hanging by spark plug wires. The separation of the right magneto from the engine allowed the engine oil to escape, causing the engine to seize. The magneto had been installed in the airplane about 7 hours before the accident. The mechanic who had replaced the magneto could not recall if he had torqued the magneto attachment nuts. It is likely that the right magneto attachment nuts were not torqued properly and came loose.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.