Piper PA-28R-180 N4952J

Summary

On 1 April 2003 at about 23:15 local time, a Piper PA-28R-180 registered N4952J was involved in an accident near Sarasota, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 April 2003 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Sarasota, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.5619, -82.3953

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-180

Registration

N4952J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sarasota → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

NTSB number

MIA03LA090

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power due to the crankshaft bolt losing torque, the gear disengaging, and the engine ceasing to operate as a result of inadequate maintenance installation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he had performed maneuvers in the practice area and was on his way back to the Sarasota/Bradenton Airport, Sarasota, Florida, at 1,600 feet, when all of a sudden, the airplane's engine ceased operating. He said he made a forced landing and during the landing rollout the airplane collided with a curb and a sign, incurring damage to the wings. Postaccident examination of the accident airplane revealed that the Bendix magneto had become displaced from its mount. In addition, there was a discontinuity within the engine accessory section. There was the presence of oil in the area of the airframe/engine tubular mount structure, and on the lower left portion of the fuselage. The crankshaft gear bolt was loose and had a flat mark on one of the threads, the lock tab was bent and twisted, and the dowel pin had sheared. The gears within the accessory section of the engine, including the impulse coupling for the left magneto were undamaged. There was also no damage to the crankshaft gear's teeth, and the center internal bore displayed signatures consistent with there having been a side load. The NTSB Metallurgical Laboratory in Washington DC, conducted an examination of the left "Bendix" magneto, the bottom magneto clamp, the dowel pin, the crankshaft gear, the lock tab, the crankshaft, and the crankshaft bolt. The damage noted was consistent with a loss of torque on the crankshaft assembly. The dowel was found to have fatigue fractures emanating from multiple origins at the outer diameter surface, consistent with having been produced by grinding and wear/fretting. Airplane records indicate that on September 1, 1993 the engine had undergone a field overhaul, had accumulated 1450.35 hours since the overhaul. On October 30, 2002, the engine had undergone maintenance, and had both the left and right crankcase halves replaced, about 200 hours before the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.