ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 297957
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| Date: | Monday 3 September 2018 |
| Time: | 12:53 LT |
| Type: |  Piper PA-32 |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | N3957X |
| MSN: | 32-7640003 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1975 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8228 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming TI0-540-K1G5 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Wrangell, Alaska -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Ketchikan, AK |
| Juneau, AK | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that, while in level cruise flight, the engine rpm began to increase. Shortly after reducing the manifold pressure in an effort to correct for the high RPM, he noticed the engine oil pressure drop with oil visible on the airplane's windscreen, followed by a total loss of engine power. He performed an emergency landing near the high tide line in an area of seagrass. During the emergency landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing.
Examination of the engine revealed a large fracture hole at the Nos. 4- and 5-cylinder pads. The Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods were fragmented, and pieces of the connecting rods and a large amount of metal debris was located within the engine. A large amount of metal contamination was present in the oil suction screen. The Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rods and rod bearing journals exhibited extensive mechanical damage and signatures consistent with exposure to extreme high heat.
The damage to the internal engine components, the large amount of metal contamination in the oil screen, and the significant metal debris inside the engine were all consistent with a catastrophic engine failure due to a lack of lubrication. The source of the interruption of oil circulation to the engine could not be determined after engine disassembly.
Probable Cause: The total loss of engine power due to oil starvation after an interruption of oil circulation for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB ANC18LA069
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Oct-2022 10:58 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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