Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
King George, Virginia 22485
Sunday, April 22, 2001 17:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was in cruise flight at 3,500 feet in the vicinity of the Potomac River when the airplane experienced a partial loss of engine power. The pilot said he checked the magnetos and engine controls, and experienced a slight restoration of power when he adjusted the mixture. Within 3 minutes, there was a total loss of engine power. The pilot turned away from the river, and performed a forced landing to a farm pasture. Examination of the airplane at the scene revealed that the # 3 cylinder was loose on the crankcase, and the number 3 intake tube was not installed, and rested in the bottom of the engine compartment. The #3 exhaust riser was found separated at the flange. The flange was found loose, as the two nuts were not tight, with one nut having no washer or lock washer installed. Further examination revealed the 2 case studs and 2 thru studs along the bottom of the # 3 cylinder were broken off. The cylinder was removed and visually examined. The cylinder skirt exhibited chafing and scratching. There was corresponding scratching to the cylinder case pad material. Examination of the fractured cylinder studs revealed fracture surfaces with features consistent with fatigue. The engine was overhauled 14 years and 917 flight hours prior to the accident, and no cylinders had been removed during that time. The engine manufacturer recommended that the engine be overhauled every 2,000 hours or 12 years, whichever occurred first.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of cylinder case and thru studs due to fatigue, which resulted in a loss of engine power over unsuitable terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/22/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1730 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | King George |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 22485 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 381810N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0772013W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1701 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 236 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | EZF |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 85 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| 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) | 31 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.21 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KEZF 222001Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT080 31/15 A3022 |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 4 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 4 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13359 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 22 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1855 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2003 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | FSDO #21 Richmond, VA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N40066 |
| NTSB Number | IAD01LA046 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32R-300 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 7780514 |
| 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 | Jan 2 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 8 |
| Airframe Hours | 2780 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Arthur L. Harris |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Chestertown |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21620 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | CHO |
| Departure City | Charlottesville |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1700 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GED |
| Destination City | GEORGETOWN |
| Destination State | DE |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2002 12:27PM |
| 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 | -- |