Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Plant City, Florida 33567
Wednesday, December 28, 1994 16:37 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot informed ATC that he had a loose engine cowling, and that he would be proceeding direct to the destination airport. The airplane was observed on radar diverting to an alternate airport. Another pilot saw the airplane on final approach with something streaming from the airplane. The airplane was observed to terminate the approach to the south, as if the pilot was making a simulated forced landing. Another witness observed the airplane descending until it collided with trees and terrain. Examination of the wreckage, revealed the engine cowling latch penetrated the oil cooler, resulting in total exhaustion of engine oil, engine failure, and forced landing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The opening of the engine cowling latch in cruise flight for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the puncture of the engine oil cooler, total exhaustion of the engine oil, failure of the No. 6 connecting rod, rod bolts, forced landing while on final approach, and subsequent in-flight collision with non suitable terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1637
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City PLANT CITY
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33567
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1756 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID LAL
Elevation of weather observation facility 142
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1846
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 28 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1720
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33456
NTSB Number MIA95FA042
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7500024
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 26 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 106
Airframe Hours 2751
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C 2 AIR INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7106 PELICAN ISLAND DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City TAMPA
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33634
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code X-16
Departure City TAMPA
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LAL
Destination City LAKELAND
Destination State FL
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 --