ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 236452
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| Date: | Tuesday 26 May 2020 |
| Time: | 13:30 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-24-250 Commanche |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N5948P |
| MSN: | 24-1039 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1959 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4628 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-540-A1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near William M. Tuck Airport (W78), VA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Clarksville, VA (W63) |
| South Boston, VA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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.
Probable Cause: The powerplant mechanic's failure to properly affix the engine crankshaft gear lockplate during overhaul, resulting in a total loss of engine power.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ERA20LA195
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=5948P
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 27-May-2020 09:01 | gerard57 | Added |
| 27-May-2020 09:54 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 28-May-2020 07:55 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Narrative] |
| 24-Jun-2021 07:27 | aaronwk | Updated [Time, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 24-Jun-2022 17:47 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report] |
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