Piper PA-28-235 N8710W

Summary

On 1 November 2000 at about 20:05 local time, a Piper PA-28-235 registered N8710W, operated by Terry D. Womack, was involved in an accident near Almyra, Arkansas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 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 November 2000 at 20:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Almyra, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Almyra (M73)

Coordinates

34.3999, -91.4101

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-235

Registration

N8710W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Terry D. Womack

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Texarkana → Tunica

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW01LA018

1 person was seriously injured.

the loss of engine power due to the crankshaft idler gear's loose lower retaining screw, which resulted in the fatigue failure of the crankshaft idler gear's upper retaining screw.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the flight was in cruise at 7,000 feet when ' the engine quit without notice, as though the mags had been turned off-no sputtering or gradual loss of engine power.' He executed a forced landing to a field, where the airplane came to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the upper retaining screw for the crankshaft idler gear had separated. The lower retaining screw remained intact; however, it exhibited excessive wear and the bolt hole for this screw was severely elongated. Metallurgical examination revealed that the upper retaining screw fractured in high stress, low cycle fatigue. The examination further revealed that the upper screw most likely fractured after the lower screw had come loose.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.