Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Durbin, West Virginia 26264
Tuesady, November 6, 2007 12:53 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot noticed an oil leak on the day prior to the accident, and asked a mechanic to examine the airplane, prior to his departure. The mechanic did not observe any significant indications of an oil leak and the pilot decided to depart for another airport where a company mechanic could further examine the engine. While en route to the destination airport, at an altitude of 5,000 feet, the pilot began to smell oil and observed smoke emanating from the engine. Shortly after, he heard an "explosion" and observed a "chunk of oil" blow out of the engine and cover the windshield. The oil pressure gauge continually decreased and the pilot looked for a place to perform a forced landing. He landed on a dirt road, during which the right wing struck a tree and was substantially damaged. Examination of the engine revealed the engine crankshaft oil seal was partially dislodged, and protruding from the front of the engine case. The most recent condition inspection was completed 2 months prior to the accident, with no anomalies noted. The airplane flew 43 hours since the inspection.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The loss of engine power while in cruise flight due to the partially separated crankshaft oil seal.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/6/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1253 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Durbin |
| Event State | WEST VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 26264 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 383415N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795608W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1241 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SHD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1201 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 80 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| 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) | 11 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 300 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.92 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24236 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Communication Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 13 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 26 2008 6:40PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | CRW FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3257B |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA033 |
| 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-18-135 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18-3275 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1600 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 43 |
| Airframe Hours | 27218 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Seashore Advertising Corporation |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1600 E Airport Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Pembroke Pines |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 33023 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Van Wagner Aerial Media |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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 | AGC |
| Departure City | Pittsburgh |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | RIC |
| Destination City | Richmond |
| Destination State | VA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 3 2008 8:59PM |
| User who most recently changed record | grer |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |