Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Warfordsburg, Pennsylvania 17267
Tuesady, March 15, 1994 17:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CRUISING AT 5000 FEET, THE PILOT OBSERVED THE OIL PRESSURE FLUCTUATING AND DROP TO ZERO. THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGHLY AND SMOKE EMANATED FROM THE COWLING. THE PILOT SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. HE LANDED ON A SNOW COVERED FIELD AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FRACTURE OF THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD. THE NUMBER 2 MAIN BEARING APPEARED TO HAVE SHIFTED FORWARD, BLOCKING THE OIL SUPPLY TO THIS BEARING. EVENTUALLY THE BEARING OVERHEATED, AND THE CONNECTING ROD FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ENGINE FAILURE AS A RESULT OF A MAIN BEARING SHIFT AND RESTRICTED LUBRICATION, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/15/1994
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1715
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WARFORDSBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17267
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 17 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 10:52AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8335X
NTSB Number NYC94LA058
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R8331013
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 32
Airframe Hours 1720
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEE TAYLOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7820 WINDY RIDGE LANE
Aircraft Owner City ANNENDALE
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 22001
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BTP
Departure City BUTLER
Departure State PA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JYO
Destination City LEESBURG
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --