Pilot Debrief

Piper PA32R near Waterloo, IL — 2019-03-12

Final reportCEN19LA098
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Date
2019-03-12
Location
Waterloo, IL, USA
Airport
CPS
Aircraft
Piper PA32R
Registration
N750R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Serious
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to a connecting rod failure for reasons that could not be determined due to secondary mechanical damage, which resulted in a subsequent forced landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he heard a "horrible noise" and that the engine "immediately seized" about 10 minutes from the destination airport. Oil covered the windshield and obstructed his forward field of view. He executed a forced landing to a road by holding the airplane in a right crab so that he could see out of the left side window. The airplane came to rest inverted in the grass adjacent to the road and sustained damage to the fuselage and wings. A postaccident engine examination revealed that the No. 4 and No. 6 connecting rods had fractured and separated from the crankshaft. Metallurgical examination was unable to determine the source of the initial failure due to secondary mechanical damage. The intact fracture surfaces that were available for examination exhibited features consistent with overstress.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Mechanical failure
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have performed an earlier precautionary landing before engine failure.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents7

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