Pilot Debrief

BEECH P35 near Westerly, RI — 2016-06-18

Final reportERA16LA217
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Date
2016-06-18
Location
Westerly, RI, USA
Airport
WST
Aircraft
BEECH P35
Registration
N112MB
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power due to inadequate maintenance of the oil filter adapter, which resulted in an oil leak and subsequent oil starvation to the engine.

NTSB narrative

During cruise flight over open water, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power, and the private pilot ditched the airplane. Subsequent examination of the engine revealed that the oil filter adapter was loose and the fiber gasket was torn and partially extruded. Because of these conditions, oil leaked from the engine, which led to the failure of the Nos. 2 and 4 connecting rods due to a lack of oil lubrication. The oil filter adapter was not original equipment on the engine; it was installed under a supplemental type certificate which required that the oil filter adapter fiber gasket be replaced anytime the oil filter adapter was removed from the engine and reinstalled and every 300 hours or 3 years, whichever occurred first. Maintenance records indicated that the oil filter adapter was installed about 4 1/2 years before the accident. No other maintenance entries or records pertaining to the inspection of the fiber gasket was noted during the 4 years before the accident, and no record concerning the installation of a new oil filter adapter fiber gasket was located.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Retorque oil filter adapter after 10 hours of operation as per installation instructions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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