Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Dutchess County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wappinger, New York 12590
Sunday, November 22, 2009 13:30 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
About 10 minutes after takeoff, the pilot advised air traffic control that he was experiencing an oil problem and subsequently maneuvered the airplane for an emergency landing at an airport about 7 nautical miles away. The engine ceased producing power shortly thereafter and the airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing. Metallurgical examination of the engine components attributed the loss of engine power to the failure of the No. 3 connecting rod bearing. Measurement of journal diameters were consistent with the correct bearings having been installed and a lack of substantial debris in the No. 4 bearing suggested that oil contamination was not contributory. The deformation and color of the recovered No. 3 connecting rod bearing pieces were consistent with the backing of the bearing extruding out of the connecting rod journal interface while under lubrication, and was consistent with failure due to delamination of the bearing. Damage to the bearing from continued operation after it failed prevented a conclusive determination as to whether the bearing had been damaged by a brief period of reduced oil pressure or wear over time. The engine was overhauled about 18 years and 1,700 flight hours prior to the accident. Maintenance records for that period showed inconsistent documentation of manufacturer-recommended oil filter element inspections following engine oil changes, with no documented oil suction screen or filter inspections in the 4 years preceding the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power due to a delamination of the No. 3 connecting rod bearing. Contributing to the accident was the inadequate maintenance inspection of the engine oil system.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/22/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Wappinger |
| Event State | NEW YORK |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 12590 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 413514N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0735314W |
| Event Location Airport | Dutchess County Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | POU |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1353 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 200 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | POU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 165 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 2 |
| 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) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 10 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28247 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 13 2011 1:51PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N345AT |
| NTSB Number | ERA10FA074 |
| 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-28R-200 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28R-7435303 |
| 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 | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 11 |
| Airframe Hours | 4662 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | AYALON FLIGHT SERVICES INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 94 SMITH AVE |
| Aircraft Owner City | MOUNT KISCO |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 10549-2816 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | AYALON FLIGHT SERVICES INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 94 SMITH AVE |
| Operator City | MOUNT KISCO |
| Operator State | NY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 10549-2816 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MGJ |
| Departure City | Montgomery |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1313 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | DXR |
| Destination City | Danbury |
| Destination State | CT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 13 2011 1:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |