Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Taylor, Pennsylvania 18517
Tuesady, April 13, 2004 12:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was in a climb at 5,500 feet, when the engine began to vibrate and lose power. The pilot observed an increase in oil temperature, and a decrease in oil pressure; which was followed by a total loss of engine power. The pilot performed a forced landing to a field; however, during the landing, the airplane's left wing impacted a tree. Examination of the airplane revealed streaks of oil on the engine cowling, and a 6-inch hole in the top of the engine crankcase, in the vicinity of the number 2 cylinder. Further examination revealed that the number 2 connecting rod was broken into four pieces. The connecting rod journal was black in color and the metal had a "smeared" appearance. Fretting was observed on the mating surfaces of the number 2 main bearing saddles. In addition, the bearing shells had "walked" towards the rear of the engine about 1/4 of an inch. The crankcase through-bolt torques could not be determined. According to a representative of the engine manufacturer, a bearing shift could result in a decrease in oil flow to the journal, and a subsequent catastrophic engine failure. The airplane had been operated for 26 hours, since it's most recent annual inspection, which was performed about a month prior to the accident. The engine had been operated for about 1,700 hours, since it was rebuilt by TCM about 9 years prior to the accident.. The number 2 and 4 cylinders had been replaced about 830 hours prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the number 2 connecting rod, after a main bearing shift, which resulted in a catastrophic engine failure.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/13/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1230 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Taylor |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 18517 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 412310N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0754030W |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1254 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AVP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 962 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 50 |
| 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) | 29.79 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17348 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Apr 13 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1630 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allentown |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N861DD |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA105 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-46-310P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 46-86002 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4100 |
| 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 | Mar 8 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 26 |
| Airframe Hours | 3448 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert H. Schreckengaust |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Exeter |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 18643 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Timothy Morgan |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Scranton |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 18509 |
| 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 | 9N3 |
| Departure City | Factoryville |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1210 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | LNS |
| Destination City | Lancaster |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |