Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Northeast Philadelphia Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19124
Wednesday, October 11, 2000 6:14 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was on a traffic observation flight when it experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a schoolyard and escaped uninjured. Initial examination revealed heat damage to the #4 cylinder and no oil in the engine. Removal of the #4 cylinder revealed a hole in the #4 piston at the 12 o'clock position beneath the piston ring lands. The hole carried through to the interior of the piston. Removal of the #2 cylinder revealed that the #1 connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft. In addition to the hole through the #4 piston, examination revealed a deep groove in the side of the piston in line with the forward piston pin plug. The plug was worn and heat damaged, with significant material loss. Material transfer in line with the piston plug was observed on the wall of the #4 cylinder. The oil-scraper piston rings on the #1 and #2 pistons were installed backwards. The #3 cylinder had 3 base nuts installed upside down. Examination of the #1 and #2 cylinder assemblies revealed they were Superior cylinders. The number #3 and #4 cylinder assemblies were reworked Lycoming cylinders. The individual piston part numbers could not be determined. Examination of the maintenance records revealed the owner/operator replaced the #3 and #4 cylinder assemblies 337 aircraft hours prior to the accident. The owner/operator serviced the engine with 80 weight oil, and returned the airplane to service. The #1 and #2 cylinder assemblies were replaced by a maintenance facility 235 aircraft hours prior to the accident, and the engine was serviced with mineral oil as recommended by the engine manufacturer.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A hole in the #4 piston for undetermined reasons which resulted in engine oil starvation and engine stoppage.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/11/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 614 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 19124 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400400N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0750000W |
| Event Location Airport | Northeast Philadelphia |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PNE |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 10 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 240 |
| Airport Elevation | 121 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 554 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 240 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PNE |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 121 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dawn |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 220 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -759 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| 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) | 13775 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Eastern Region Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 11 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1148 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 26 2003 8:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9394L |
| NTSB Number | IAD01LA002 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | N |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | American Aviation Corp. (AAC) |
| Aircraft Model | AA-1A |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | AA-1A |
| Aircraft Serial Number | AA-1A-0094 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 448 |
| Airframe Hours | 2937 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SHAW AVIATION, INC. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 54 HILL ROAD |
| Aircraft Owner City | IVYLAND |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 18974 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Aerial Observation |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | PNE |
| Departure City | PHILADELPHIA |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 605 |
| 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 | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 4 2002 9:52AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |