Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boca Raton, Florida 33431
Friday, January 17, 1997 6:54 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While climbing through 2,000 feet after takeoff the engine quit abruptly. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and a forced landing was made on a golf course where the aircraft collided with trees. Postcrash examination showed the left magneto would not rotate, the left crankshaft idler gear and crankshaft gear had teeth broken in overload, and the crankshaft gear had come loose. Examination of the left magneto showed the rotating magnet had a defect which caused it to make contact with the magneto case. The exact defect was not determine. The magneto had accumulated 2.3 flight hours since overhaul.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Improper overhaul of the left magneto which resulted in a defect in the left magneto rotating magnet to go undetected which caused the magneto to stop rotating and break several teeth from engine crankshaft gears and disconnect the crankshaft drive gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/17/1997
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 654
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BOCA RATON
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33431
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 1
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 653 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 235
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:06PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2816M
NTSB Number MIA97LA065
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-32-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-7840056
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 25 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 4097
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name J & J PARTNERSHIP
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1510 CORONADO STREET
Aircraft Owner City ALLENTOWN
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 18103
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 PMP
Departure City POMPANO BEACH
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 650
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CRE
Destination City N. MYRTLE BEACH
Destination State SC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --