Branch County Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coldwater, Michigan 49036
Monday, November 2, 2009 14:03 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was in cruise flight at 2,500 feet above mean sea level when the engine oil temperatures started to rise. He started to divert to a nearby airport, but the engine seized and he executed a forced landing to a field. The inspection of the engine revealed a hole in the crankcase at the #4 cylinder position. The #4 piston connecting rod was found disconnected from the crankshaft, and it was deformed and bent into a ā€œUā€ shape. The #4 connecting rod cap was separated from the #4 connecting rod. One of the connecting rod bolts was found sheared in half with the nut still attached to one end of the bolt. The other connecting rod bolt was not located in the connecting rod or in the rod cap. A connecting rod bolt was found in the bottom of the engine. The bolt threads exhibited some impact damage, but otherwise, the connecting rod bolt was intact and was not bent. The nut for the connecting rod bolt was not located in the engine. The engine logbook indicated that four new pistons were installed on May 31, 2003. The logbook entry did not indicate that the connecting rods had been replaced. On May 1, 2007, the #4 cylinder was replaced, but there was no indication in the logbook entry that the #4 piston or connecting rod had been repaired or replaced.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to the separation of the No. 4 piston connecting rod as a result of inadequate torque of the connecting rod bolt.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/2/2009
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1403
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Coldwater
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49036
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 415600N
Event Location Longitude 0850308W
Event Location Airport Branch County Memorial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EOB
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 1253 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BTL
Elevation of weather observation facility 952
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.05
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26912
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2010 2:06PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8364W
NTSB Number CEN10LA037
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-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-2559
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 20 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Nicholas George Pathenos
Aircraft Owner Street Address 430 W Hamlin Rd
Aircraft Owner City Rochester Hills
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 48307
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Nicholas George Pathenos
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 430 W Hamlin Rd
Operator City Rochester Hills
Operator State MI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 48307
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PTK
Departure City Pontiac
Departure State MI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CMI
Destination City Champagne
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 26 2010 6:27PM
User who most recently changed record silj
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --