Piper PA-28R-200 N43274

Summary

On 5 December 2007 at about 23:55 local time, a Piper PA-28R-200 registered N43274, operated by Pheonix Air, was involved in an accident near Augusta, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 December 2007 at 23:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Augusta, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

33.4814, -82.0408

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-200

Registration

N43274

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pheonix Air

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Charleston → Cartersville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

NYC08FA053

1 person died.

A loss of engine power due to the fatigue fracture of the number 2 cylinder attach studs, and the subsequent separation of the number 2 cylinder.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While enroute to the destination airport, the pilot reported to air traffic control that he had a "rough running engine,"and asked where the nearest airport was. He was given vectors for an airport and subsequently reported that the airplane's engine lost power and that he would attempt to land on a road. The airplane touched down in a parking lot and continued to travel for about 50 feet, until it impacted a building and caught fire. A witness reported that the engine sounded as if "all the cylinders weren't firing." Examination of the engine revealed that the number 2 cylinder was displaced from the crankcase and the associated connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft. Examination of the studs used to attach the cylinder to the crankcase revealed that they were fractured due to fatigue. Additionally, continued operation of the engine after the separation of the cylinder fractured the associated connecting rod to produce mechanical damage inside of the crankcase. According to maintenance records, 22 months prior to the accident the engine case was repaired when a crack was noted. The engine was reinstalled and the airplane returned to service two months later, at 977 hours since major overhaul. The most recent 100-hour inspection was performed one month prior to the accident with no anomalies noted. At that time, the engine had accumulated 1409 hours since major overhaul. The investigator could not determine if a specific maintenance action initiated and allowed the fatigue crack.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.