Piper PA-28-161 N4366Y

Summary

On 1 September 1996 at about 23:05 local time, a Piper PA-28-161 registered N4366Y was involved in an accident near Skwentna, Alaska, United States. 3 people were on board and one 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

1 September 1996 at 23:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Skwentna, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.9307, -151.7307

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-161

Registration

N4366Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Anchorage → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC96LA140

1 person had minor injuries.

corrosion and subsequent fatigue failure of the crankshaft, which resulted in engine failure and a forced landing. Factors related to the accident were: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, and the operator's non-compliance with a service bulletin.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot & 2 passengers departed on a local area sightseeing flight. While in cruise flight at about 4,000 ft, the engine developed a vibration, then lost power. Oil spray was deposited on the windshield. The pilot performed an emergency landing on a sand bar. After landing, he noticed that the entire propeller, propeller flange, & the outboard end of the engine crankshaft were missing from the engine. Examination of the engine revealed evidence of fatigue cracking, emanating from a corrosion pit on the inner diameter surface of the crankshaft bore. Numerous other corrosion pits were found adjacent to the fracture origin. The engine manufacturer reported the engine was built & shipped from the factory on 4/13/81. The engine was the subject of a mandatory service bulletin (S/B), dated 1018/94, that addressed the inspection of the inside bore of the crankshaft for the presence of corrosion. The S/B required that an initial inspection be conducted within the next 200 hrs of operation or 1 year from the date of the S/B. The operator's company manual stated the Director of Maintenance shall ensure that current manufacturer's mandatory S/B's were complied with. No record of compliance with the S/B was noted in the engine maintenance records.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.