Piper PA28 N4166Z

Summary

On 8 September 2020 at about 16:30 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N4166Z, operated by Lebanon Flying Club, was involved in an accident near McMinnville, Tennessee, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 September 2020 at 16:30

Classification

Accident

Location

McMinnville, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Warren County Memorial (RNC)

Coordinates

35.6953, -85.8536

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N4166Z

Category

Airplane

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Lebanon Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McMinnville → McMinnville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA309

3 people died.

A total loss of engine power due to a fatigue failure in a cylinder, and the pilot’s subsequent failure to maintain airspeed and her exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack while maneuvering at low altitude.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During initial climb, below 500 ft above ground level, the engine experienced a total loss of power due to a separated cylinder head. The pilot initiated a right turn (based on the orientation of the wreckage) and the airplane stalled and spun flat into a field. Metallurgical examination of the cylinder revealed fatigue cracking, which was observed around approximately 180° of the cylinder circumference. The fatigue cracking emanated from the vertical stiffener on the front of the cylinder between the third and fourth fins. The fatigue cracking appeared to initiate at the start of the fillet between the vertical stiffener and the circumferential outer wall of the cylinder. The remainder of the fracture surface was consistent with overstress. The cylinder was installed new when the engine was overhauled about 19 months prior to the accident. The engine had accrued about 671 hours since overhaul.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.