Piper PA24 N5948P

Summary

On 26 May 2020 at about 18:30 local time, a Piper PA24 registered N5948P was involved in an accident near South Boston, Virginia, United States. One person was 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

26 May 2020 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

South Boston, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

William M Tuck Airport (W78)

Coordinates

36.6992, -78.8999

Aircraft

Piper PA24

Registration

N5948P

Category

Airplane

Year built

1959

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Clarksville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA195

Nobody was injured.

The powerplant mechanic’s failure to properly affix the engine crankshaft gear lockplate during overhaul, resulting in a total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a personal flight the private pilot proceeded to the destination airport and entered the airport traffic pattern for a planned full-stop landing. While on a close-in downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern the engine experienced a sudden and total loss of engine power. The pilot turned toward the approach end of the runway and attempted to restore engine power but was unsuccessful. The airplane impacted an obstruction light and touched down in tall grass on airport property before coming to rest upright. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the crankshaft gear attachment bolt was loose, the lockplate was fractured, and the alignment dowel was sheared. The intact portion of the fractured lockplate was similar to an un-bent exemplar lockplate; therefore, it is likely the mechanic who overhauled the engine about 253 hours and 8 years earlier did not bend the lockplate against the flat of the crankshaft gear attachment bolt head. The crankshaft gear drives two idler gears in the accessory gearbox, which drive the camshaft, engine driven fuel pump, vacuum pump and the magneto drive couplings. The failure of the crankshaft gear to rotate would result in a loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.