Piper PA28R N41AT

Summary

On 3 April 2019 at about 15:00 local time, a Piper PA28R registered N41AT was involved in an accident near Prairieville, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 April 2019 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Prairieville, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

30.3464, -91.0294

Aircraft

Piper PA28R

Registration

N41AT

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Baton Rouge → Gonzales

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN19LA132

1 person was seriously injured.

Installation of an incorrect engine oil drain valve, which resulted in damage to the valve during landing gear retraction and subsequent engine failure due to oil starvation. Contributing to the accident was the failure of maintenance personnel to comply with the Airworthiness Directive regarding the engine oil drain valve.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was conducting the airplane's first flight following an annual inspection. About 5 minutes after takeoff, the engine started to run rough and seized. The pilot performed a forced landing, during which he sustained serious injuries. Postaccident examination revealed that the engine oil drain valve was damaged when the nose landing gear contacted the valve during gear retraction after takeoff. This resulted in a loss of engine oil and subsequent engine failure due to oil starvation. Further examination revealed that the installed drain valve did not meet manufacturer specifications; the installed valve protruded about 1-1/8 inches from the engine, while the manufacturer-specified valve protruded about 1/2 inch. A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed that the valve was replaced during the annual inspection because it had been leaking. The airframe manufacturer had previously issued a service bulletin regarding installation of an incorrect engine oil drain valve. The Federal Aviation Administration subsequently issued an Airworthiness Directive requiring the replacement of any incorrectly installed valves and placement of a warning placard on the engine mount. The airplane maintenance manual also included a cautionary note regarding the engine oil drain valve and noted the requirement for a warning placard. A warning placard was not present on the accident airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.