Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Orleans, Indiana 47452
Thursday, June 20, 1985 12:35 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING FLT, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE ENG RPM DROPPED FROM 2500 TO 2000. HE COULD NOT RESTORE THE RPM. HE THEN HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE ENG COMPARTMENT & THE ENG SEIZED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING AN EMERG LANDING IN A CORN FIELD. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT THE #3 ROD, PN 74502-S, WAS BROKEN, BENT & WEDGED BETWEEN THE #4 ROD & ENG CASE. THE #3 BEARING SURFACE ON THE CRANKSHAFT WAS GALLED & BOTH ROD BOLTS ON THE #3 CONNECTING ROD WERE BROKEN. ALSO, THE #2 & #4 CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS, PN 72218, HAD SPUN. METAL PARTICALS WERE FOUND THRU-OUT THE ENG. THERE WAS STILL 5-1/2 QTS OF OIL IN THE ENG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1235
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ORLEANS
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47452
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1235
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID IND
Elevation of weather observation facility 800
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1171
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 20 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28516
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7750N
NTSB Number CHI85FEX03
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-180
Aircraft Serial Number 28-5195
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Sep 23 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 1123
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PATRICK ALBANO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 112 S. SECOND ST.
Aircraft Owner City FESTUS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63028
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LUK
Departure City CINCINNATI
Departure State OH
Departure Country
Departure Time 1135
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SUS
Destination City ST.LOUIS
Destination State MO
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 --