Lancair LC41 N618G

Summary

On 4 December 2018 at about 15:45 local time, a Lancair LC41 registered N618G was involved in an accident near Moscow, Pennsylvania, 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

4 December 2018 at 15:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Moscow, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.3269, -75.5911

Aircraft

Lancair LC41

Registration

N618G

Category

Airplane

Year built

2004

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Philadelphia → Binghamton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19LA063

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power and catastrophic engine failure due to the failure of the left turbocharger, which resulted in oil loss and oil starvation. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel to overhaul the turbocharger in accordance with manufacturer guidance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, about 20 minutes after departure, the airplane began to shudder. He adjusted the engine power, but the airplane continued to shake before the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a road, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual examination revealed multiple holes in the top of the engine crankcase. Disassembly of the engine revealed that the Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 5 connecting rods were fractured and separated from the connecting rod journals. The connecting rods, connecting rod bearings, and the crankshaft’s connecting rod journals displayed thermal discoloration consistent with oil starvation. Examination of the engine components and engine-related systems revealed no evidence of a pre-impact oil leak; however, the left turbocharger was missing its turbine wheel, and the shaft was fractured outboard of the turbine piston ring. A test run of an exemplar engine without the left turbine wheel revealed significant oil loss during operation. The left turbocharger was overhauled 158 flight hours before the accident, and its wheel assemblies were reused rather than replaced, as specified by the manufacturer. It is likely the separation of the left turbine wheel resulted in oil escaping the engine, which resulted in oil starvation and catastrophic engine failure.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.