Piper PA 46-350P N502EU

Summary

On 5 July 2013 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper PA 46-350P registered N502EU was involved in an accident near Nappanee, Indiana, United States. One person was 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

5 July 2013 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Nappanee, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Nappanee Municipal (C03)

Coordinates

41.5083, -85.9633

Aircraft

Piper PA 46-350P

Registration

N502EU

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Elkhart → Indianapolis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN13LA397

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the No. 6 piston due to detonation and the subsequent interruption of the engine oil flow that resulted from the piston fragments.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, upon leveling the airplane at the assigned cruise altitude, he heard three loud "bangs" and that the engine oil pressure and temperature indications exceeded the gauge limits. He was unable to maintain altitude and subsequently executed a forced landing to a field. A postaccident engine examination revealed that a portion of the No. 6 piston face had separated along the perimeter due to detonation within the cylinder during operation. The No. 5 connecting rod had separated near the crankshaft journal, and the lower portion of the engine crankcase exhibited a hole immediately above the oil sump. Metallic fragments were recovered from the oil sump, oil sump screen, and oil filter. Piston fragments likely interrupted the oil flow within the engine, which resulted in the failure of the No. 5 connecting rod.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.