ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287804
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| Date: | Saturday 7 April 2012 |
| Time: | 19:25 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-28-181 Archer II |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N30997 |
| MSN: | 28-7890460 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1978 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 2710 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Casper, Wyoming -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Standing |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Riverton Airport, WY (RIW/KRIW) |
| Mitchell Municipal Airport, SD (MHE/KMHE) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
During cruise flight, the engine sustained a reduction in oil pressure followed by a total loss of power. The student pilot then performed a forced landing into a field. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed that a piston pin plug had disintegrated, the fragments of which contaminated the oil passages and caused oil starvation and the subsequent engine seizure.
The engine's manufacturer issued a service instruction warning of such piston pin wear, recommending oil filter element inspection or spectrographic oil analysis at each oil change, not to exceed 50 hours of engine operation. The engine had undergone an oil change about 8 flight hours prior to the accident and the mechanic reported that the oil filter element appeared to be normal. Based on the relatively short period between the last oil filter inspection and the engine failure, the oil filter inspection should have revealed ample evidence of piston pin wear.
Probable Cause: A total loss of engine power during cruise flight due to a failed piston pin plug, which resulted in engine oil contamination and subsequent oil starvation. Contributing to the loss of power was the failure of maintenance personnel to identify contaminants produced by the failing plug during the last oil filter inspection.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR12LA161
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 04-Oct-2022 14:36 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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