Piper PA-23-160 N4300Y

Summary

On 6 May 1995 at about 03:15 local time, a Piper PA-23-160 registered N4300Y was involved in an accident near Dayton, Tennessee, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 May 1995 at 03:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Dayton, Tennessee, United States

Nearest airport

Mark Anton Airport (2A0)

Coordinates

35.4903, -85.0109

Aircraft

Piper PA-23-160

Registration

N4300Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Louisville → Chamblee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL95LA094

1 person was seriously injured.

INSTALLATION OF AN IMPROPER CRANKSHAFT OIL SEAL WHICH EVENTUALLY SEPARATED FROM ITS SEAT RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE OIL LOSS, AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING IN THAT HE DID NOT ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT WHEN THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE OIL PRESSURE. HE WAS GIVEN VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE LEFT ENGINE WAS RUNNING INCREASINGLY ROUGH, THEREFORE, THE PILOT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN WHILE ON FINAL FOR RUNWAY 3. THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WOULD NEED TO MANUALLY EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR, HOWEVER, HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO DO SO, AND ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN PAST THE RUNWAY. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE LOST OIL BECAUSE THE CRANKSHAFT OIL SEAL HAD COME OUT OF THE CRANKCASE BORE, AND HAD MOVED FORWARD ON THE CRANKSHAFT. INSPECTION OF THE OIL SEAL REVEALED THAT IT WAS A 'LIPPED' SEAL WHICH WAS NOT AN APPROVED SEAL FOR THIS CRANKCASE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.