Bishop Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bishop, California 93514
Thursday, January 31, 1985 11:24 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RPTD THAT SHORTLY AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 11500 FT MSL, THE ENGINE EXPLODED CAUSING BOTH WINDSCREENS TO BE COVERED WITH OIL AND FIRE. THE FIRE STOPPED DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT. THE ACFT LANDED ON RY 30 AT BISHOP ARPT, BISHOP, CA WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. DISASSEMBLY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED CRANKSHAFT FAILED AT THE SHORT CHEEK BETWEEN THE NO. 3 MAIN JOURNAL & THE NO. 4 CRANKPIN. THE NOS. 3 & 4 CONNECTING RODS & CAMSHAFT WERE FRACTURED. THE PISTONS SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY DETONATION. THE BACKSIDE OF THE CON RODS, MAIN JOURNAL BEARINGS & BOTH HALVES OF THE CRANKCASE SHOWED EXTENSIVE FRETTING SIGNATURES INDICATING MISALIGNMENT DURING MANUFACTURE. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT FAILED IN FATIGUE. ALL OTHER FRACTURES WERE OVERLOAD SUBSEQUENT TO THE CRANKSHAFT FAILURE. THE ENGINE HAD ACCUMULATED 602 FLT HOURS SINCE NEW.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1124
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City BISHOP
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93514
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BISHOP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BIH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BIH
Elevation of weather observation facility 4120
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 703
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 1 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1150
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27927
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2129G
NTSB Number LAX85FA130
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 In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32RT-300T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32RT-30
Aircraft Serial Number 32R7987080
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 30 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 602
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THOMAS G. MERRY, MD
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 7216
Aircraft Owner City MAMMOTH LAKES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93546
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 MMH
Departure City MAMMOTH LAKES
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1050
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ONT
Destination City ONTARIO
Destination State CA
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 30
Runway Length 7500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --