Piper PA28 N4298V

Summary

On 23 September 2024 at about 18:42 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N4298V, operated by Airventures, was involved in an accident near LaGrange, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 September 2024 at 18:42

Classification

Accident

Location

LaGrange, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

LaGrange-Calloway Airport (LGC)

Coordinates

33.0092, -85.0732

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N4298V

Category

Airplane

Year built

1983

Engines

1

Operator

Airventures

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA24LA392

2 people had minor injuries.

Improper manufacture of a cylinder exhaust valve guide by the engine manufacturer, which resulted in a stuck exhaust valve and a partial loss of engine power during initial climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The flight instructor and student pilot had completed maneuvers over the local area before the student pilot performed a touch-and-go landing. During initial climb after the touch-and-go landing, about 200 to 300 ft above ground level, the engine began to run rough and the airplane stopped climbing. The flight instructor then took control of the airplane from the student pilot and made a right turn for a forced landing on a perpendicular runway. The flight instructor stated that during the landing attempt, the engine power did not reduce to idle when the instructor pulled the throttle lever fully aft. The airplane subsequently touched down long on the 5,000-ft runway and traveled off the end and down an embankment, coming to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies with the throttle linkage. However, the No. 3 cylinder exhaust valve was stuck in the open position. Metallurgical examination of the No. 3 cylinder revealed rough residues and patches in the valve guide, as well as valve guide material that had adhered to the exhaust valve stem. Caked residues were observed around the exhaust valve tip. Measurements of the exhaust valve guide bore’s inside diameter were all below specification for a new valve guide, and the diametral valve-to-guide clearances were also below specification at the middle and inboard end of the guide. The cylinder had been operated for about 1,072 hours since it was installed new about 3 years before the accident. Available evidence indicates that, over time, the improperly manufactured exhaust valve guide bore allowed a build-up of residual material that led to the exhaust valve becoming stuck in the open position and a partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.