Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Charlotte County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Punta Gorda, Florida 33951
Saturday, October 3, 1998 9:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The engine oil was reportedly changed and replenished then the engine was started and operated for about 5-10 minutes. The pilot and General Manager reported verifying that the engine oil quantity was full before the flight departed. During the upwind leg of the second touch-and-go landing, the engine failed. While descending for a forced landing, the airplane collided with trees then the ground. Examination of the airplane by an FAA airworthiness inspector 2 days after the accident revealed no evidence of oil discharge during flight. Disassembly of the engine revealed that the Nos. 2 and 4 connecting rod bearings were failed, and the Nos. 1 and 3 connecting rod bearings were damaged. Minimal oil was found in the engine. No failure or malfunction was noted on the oil pump gears. The hour meter historically indicated a greater elapsed time than the cable driven tachometer during flights of varying lengths; however, during the accident flight, the tachometer elapsed time was greater than the hour meter time. The hour meter is electrically activated by a pressure switch which requires a minimum oil pressure of 3 psi. No malfunction of the hour meter and pressure switch were noted when tested post accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of maintenance personnel to refill the engine oil following the draining of the oil and changing of the oil filter. Also, inadequate preflight of the airplane by the pilot for his failure to noted the absence of engine oil.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/3/1998 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | PUNTA GORDA |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33951 |
| Event Date Year | 1998 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | CHARLOTTE COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PGD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 150 |
| Airport Elevation | 27 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 330 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PGD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 27 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 24 |
| 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 | 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) | 1578 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 3 1998 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1233 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N53EN |
| NTSB Number | MIA99LA003 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | PA-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7335299 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2650 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 28 1998 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 34 |
| Airframe Hours | 3912 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | UNIVERSAL TECHNOLOGIES/UNITEC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | P.O. BOX 510637 |
| Aircraft Owner City | PUNTA GORDA |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33951 |
| Operator is an individual? | -- |
| Operator Name | AERONAUTICAL SERVICES, INC. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PGD |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 918 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 23 2001 1:56PM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |