Pilot Debrief

QUAD CITY CHALLENGER near Cedar Creek, MO — 2023-06-23

Final reportCEN23LA261
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Date
2023-06-23
Location
Cedar Creek, MO, USA
Airport
PVT
Aircraft
QUAD CITY CHALLENGER
Registration
UNREG
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

A seizure of the power takeoff piston due to inadequate maintenance to the lubrication system, which resulted in a lack of oil lubrication and subsequent engine failure.

NTSB narrative

On the day before the accident, the pilot reported that he drained the fuel and replaced it with new fuel, replaced the fuel filter, and checked all fluid levels and lines; the airplane had not flown since October 2021. The pilot reported that on the day of the accident, he flew the airplane for about 20 minutes and then returned to pick up a passenger. On the second flight, the airplane’s engine lost power after flying about 10 minutes. During the forced landing, the airplane impacted trees and terrain which resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engine were performed at the pilot’s residence. The examination of the engine revealed oil around the power take-off (PTO) piston and cylinder head. The PTO piston displayed signatures consistent with seizure. A piece of old, brittle oil injection line was discovered near the oil injection pump and the fuel, primer, and vent lines were also found in an aged and hardened state. Given the evidence, the PTO piston likely failed due to a lack of oil as a result of the poorly maintained lubrication system, which resulted in a loss of engine power. There were no maintenance records for the airplane and according to the pilot, the hoses had not been replaced since 2009. The engine manufacturer’s maintenance manual states that all lubrication system hoses must be replaced every 5 years.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Replace aged oil injection lines before flight to prevent engine failure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents5

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