Piper PA 32-300 N4326X
14 December 2017 · Hinesville, Georgia, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 14 December 2017 at about 13:54 local time, a Piper PA 32-300 registered N4326X was involved in an accident near Hinesville, Georgia, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 13:54
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Hinesville, Georgia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Wright Aaf (Fort Stewart)/Midc (LHW)
- Coordinates
- 31.8883, -81.5617
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 32-300
- Registration
- N4326X
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1975
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Metter → Hinesville
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR18LA051
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of a connecting rod.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that, while on final approach for landing, he felt a shudder followed by a loud bang. Immediately after, the windscreen was covered in oil and the engine lost all power. The airplane impacted trees about 2 miles short of the runway. Examination of the engine revealed a large hole in the crankcase above the No. 4 cylinder. Further examination revealed that one connecting rod bolt and the connecting rod cap were missing, and the connecting rod was not attached to the crankshaft. About 6 inches of the camshaft was also missing. The remaining components of the connecting rod, piston assembly, and pieces of connecting rod bearing were examined; all of the discernible fracture surfaces exhibited features consistent with overstress. Extensive postfracture damage to the recovered pieces precluded the determination of any preexisting damage. Based upon the lack of available evidence (the missing connecting rod cap and rod bolt), the cause of the connecting rod failure could not be determined.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-32 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Dec 2017 | Piper PA 32 | Cheboygan, Michigan, United States | Great Lakes Air. Inc | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jan 2017 | Piper PA-32 | Pilot Point, Alaska, United States | Van Air Inc | Serious injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 2017 | Piper PA 32-300 | Rushville, Indiana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 8 Nov 2017 | Piper PA 32 | Morrison, Tennessee, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 2 May 2017 | Piper PA 32-260 | Mukilteo, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 9 Jun 2016 | Piper PA 32 | Lincoln Park, New Jersey, United States | - | No injuries | - |
All 1,695 records for this type
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Nov 2017 | Cessna 140 | Macon, Georgia, United States | Clear Blue Sky Aviation LLC. | No injuries | - |
| 4 Mar 2017 | Cessna 421 | Canton, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 23 Jun 2017 | Airbus A321 | Atlanta, Georgia, United States | Delta Air Lines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 2017 | Rockwell S 2R | McRae, Georgia, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Sep 2017 | Cessna 150G | Rhine, Georgia, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 9 May 2017 | Cessna 150M | Homerville, Georgia, United States | Tailwheels Etc. | No injuries | - |