Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chesterfield, Virginia 23832
Saturday, May 8, 1993 23:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE ON A RETURN FLIGHT, WHEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES OF FLIGHT. HE RADIOED RICHMOND APPROACH CONTROL, AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS 21 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION. HE STATED THAT HE TRIED TO REACH CHESTERFIELD AIRPORT THAT WAS 10 MILES AWAY, BUT THE ENGINE SEIZED WITH A LOUD CLANKING SOUND. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WHEAT FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM CHESTERFIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON, DC. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED, WHERE A FATIGUE CRACK HAD INITIATED ON THE SURFACE OF THE AFT RADIUS OF THE #1 JOURNAL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 1 JOURNAL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2325
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHESTERFIELD
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 23832
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2325 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID RIC
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 538
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 8 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 25
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50365
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82836
NTSB Number BFO93LA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8190071
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 3703
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JON & LINDA CLARKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4200 BOOTH DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SANDSTON
Aircraft Owner State VA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 23150
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AERO INDUSTRIES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL ARPT
Operator City RICHMOND
Operator State VA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 23150
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 BCB
Departure City BLACKSBURG
Departure State VA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1805
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RIC
Destination City RICHMOND
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --