Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fort Pierce, Florida 33454
Monday, August 25, 1986 10:10 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLT THE ACFT'S ENG FAILED AND THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN A RIVER. POST CRASH ENG EXAM REVEALED THE NO. 1 AND NO. 2 CONNECTING RODS SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT WHEN BOTH BOLTS FAILED ON THE NO. 1 ROD AND 1 BOLT FAILED ON THE NO. 2 ROD. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE BOLTS REVEALED THE ROCKWELL HARDNESS OF THE NO. 1 ROD BOLTS VARIED FROM 26 TO 44 AT VARIOUS POINTS AND THE HARDNESS OF THE FAILED NO. 2 ROD BOLT VARIED FROM 41.6 TO 42.2. MICROSTRUCTURE ANALYSIS OF THE FAILED BOLTS INDICATED THE STRUCTURE VARIED FROM PRIMARILY FERRITE NEAR THE LOW HARDNESS AREAS TO PRIMARILY MARTENSITE NEAR THE HIGHER HARDNESS AREAS. THE CHANGE IN MICROSTRUCTURE INDICATES THAT ALTHOUGH BLOCKAGES WERE NOT OBVIOUS IN THE LUBRICATION SYSTEM, THE BOLTS WERE SUBJECTED TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. THE NO. 1 AND NO. 2 CONNECTING ROD CRANKSHAFT JOURNALS INDICATED EVIDENCE OF SCORING AND DARKENING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/25/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City FORT PIERCE
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33454
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1023 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID VRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 25
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 24
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1406
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 25 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31797
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6460W
NTSB Number MIA86LA242
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-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-20533
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 6 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 34
Airframe Hours 2860
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM G. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 916 SE 6TH COURT
Aircraft Owner City FT. LAUDERDALE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33301
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 919
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FPR
Destination City FORT PIERCE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --