Piper PA-28-R200 N1939T

Summary

On 25 January 2008 at about 16:10 local time, a Piper PA-28-R200 registered N1939T, operated by Rock Hill Aviation, was involved in an accident near York, South Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

25 January 2008 at 16:10

Classification

Accident

Location

York, South Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.0319, -81.2528

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-R200

Registration

N1939T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Rock Hill Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rock Hill → Ashville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08LA086

2 people had minor injuries.

Loss of engine power due to improper welding of the crankcase, which resulted in fatigue failure of the through-studs and a subsequent separation of the number two cylinder. Contributing to the accident was the unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Shortly after departure, while climbing through 4,000 feet, the airplane experienced a "sudden and violent shuddering," followed by smoke penetration into the cockpit. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane was substantially damaged. Examination of the engine revealed the number two cylinder had separated from the engine crankcase and the through-bolts that attached the cylinder to the crankcase were fractured due to fatigue. Evidence of welding in the cylinder deck area of the crankcase was observed, which produced a soft condition in the cylinder mounting flanges and subsequent non-standard loading and fatigue fracture of the studs. The engine manufacturer does not allow welding in the critical cylinder deck area of the crankcase. According to the engine maintenance records, the engine was overhauled 2 years prior to the accident and had accumulated 679 hours since then.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.