Piper PA-32R-301T N362DM

Summary

On 23 August 2012 at about 13:05 local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T registered N362DM was involved in an accident near Riverview, Florida, United States. 3 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 August 2012 at 13:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Riverview, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.8783, -82.3467

Aircraft

Piper PA-32R-301T

Registration

N362DM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tampa → Opa-Locka

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12LA524

Nobody was injured.

Damage to the propeller governor gasket during installation by unknown persons, which resulted in a total loss of engine oil in flight and a subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane experienced an electrical discrepancy shortly after an instrument departure. The pilot advised the air traffic controller that he would be returning to the airport. While en route, the pilot noted a film of oil on the windshield. It became more pronounced, and the engine oil pressure dropped to “0.” The pilot declared an emergency and landed the airplane on an interstate highway median. An 8-foot section of the left wing separated when it collided with a highway traffic sign during the landing roll. The postaccident engine examination revealed that the oil leak was from the propeller governor gasket; specifically, the leak originated from the lower left lock nut area that secures the control cable tube end support bracket to the governor’s engine-mounted stud. The nut and lock washer were not properly seated and anti-tamper putty was present. The disassembly of that area revealed that the lower left corner of the gasket had several cracks promulgating to that lower left section of the gasket, which permitted the oil to escape. The top section of the tube end of the support bracket was missing (broken off), which would not allow for an even mounting torque pressure between the gasket, the propeller governor, and the engine surfaces. A review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed no history of any discrepancies that would require the removal of the control cable support bracket tube end. Based on physical damage to the control cable bracket tube end, it is likely that, at an unknown time, the tube end was removed from the stud and damaged during installation. This did not permit a proper seal of the gasket, which created the leak.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.